Chalkboard Moon
by superblooper
Summary: Princess Peach falls into a portal leading to post-OoT Hyrule, where she's rescued by a mysterious Sheikah who is hiding an important secret. With his help, she learns about this new land and searches for a portal back home, but the longer she stays with him the less she wants to leave… Nintendo Franchise X-over. SheikxPeach. Book 1 of 2.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I have been working on this story...FOREVER! This story is lightly inspired by Blastos X4's Princess to Princess series, another Zelda/Mario crossover which can also be found in the Legend of Zelda section. So yes, this is a crossover, though the entirety of this particular story will be set in post-OoT Hyrule. If anyone is crazy unduly concerned that it's not in the oft-neglected crossover section, I can always move it (I think).  
**

 **All characters are copyright Nintendo, except the ones the aren't. It's a work of fiction, and I don't make any money off it. Please enjoy and check out my other works too!**

* * *

The Lost Woods were his temple and every training session a sermon. To traverse the terrain was to worship with his feet Din's strong and sturdy earth. The earth upon which Hyrule was built. To soar from branch to limb, rising and falling with metered breaths, was to pay homage to Nayru's natural laws. The commandments to which all beings are subject. To perceive each rustle and shift in the boscage was testament to the goodness and glory of Farore who, from her generous spirit, breathed life into every creature on land, in sea, and in air.

He drew breath into his lungs, expelling it in a rhythmic, force. His feet seemed to barely kiss the soil, leaving behind no footprints as he closed in on his goal. His mind was a narrow point of focus, counting his time with startling accuracy. It was going to be a new record.

Rather, it _was_ going to be a new record, before he rounded a corner and nearly crashed into the scene before him. There was a woman, blond, and there were some monsters. And she was…talking to them? Sheik furrowed his eyebrows. This could be trouble.

In an instant, the mean little Deku Scrubs loosed their artillery, striking the pink-clad stranger squarely in the stomach, her bright blue eyes opened wide in shock as she crumpled to the ground. Wasting no time, Sheik threw a Deku nut of his own to the ground, creating a blinding flash in which he seized the maiden. She shrieked in terror and confusion, but he would never hear it; adrenaline coursed in his veins, blocking out all senses. Muscle memory allowed him a quick play of the Prelude of Light on the Goddess Harp. The familiar, sickening lurch of teleportation. The shattered stained glass windows of the Temple of Time materialized out of the fog.

Upon release, Peach immediately collapsed, threw up, and lost consciousness.

After a moment's hesitation, Sheik dug his hands beneath her arms, and dragged her across the floor. He propped the young woman up against the ruined wall of the former Temple of Time. He pushed her golden hair away from the sticky corners of her mouth. Her smooth face was white as Lon Lon Milk, and she shivered at his touch. Sheik frowned at the unconscious figure before him.

 _This girl is a fool. What was she doing in the forest?_

Even the simplest Hyrulian child knew that every non-Kokiri entering the woods would become lost and inevitably turn into a Stalfos. Only Link, the Sages, and a handful of other important people could safely navigate the Lost Woods.

 _And to attempt to make conversation with a pack of unknown wild Deku Scrubs?_

He could see from the pained expression on her face that she would not be making that same mistake again.

The princess cracked open her soft, blue eyes only to find a pair of crimson ones staring hard, too close. She jerked to back away only to hit her head painfully against the wall. She clutched the back of her head and moaned, cheeks flushed red.

The unfamiliar man jumped away from her, too quickly. She opened her mouth to cry out for help, but no sound came out. He stopped and she stared. Those red eyes, they belonged to a distinctly different being than the ones she was used to seeing back home. Instead of a large, terrifying Koopa King bellowing insults and conceits, she was face-to-face with a young man, silently peering out from between a cascade of golden hair and a swaddle of white knit.

The way her wide blue eyes scanned every wall and surface of the ruined temple reminded him of prey caught in the sights of his bow. They lingered on his face, his eyes. He took a step back and tried to appear…trustworthy.

Her lips parted; a jumble of pretty noises came tumbling out.

What language was that? He had never heard it before in all his travels across Hyrule. His eyes flashed to her lips, and then the crown adorning her head. They darted over her rich silk dress, festooned with jewels, her rounded human ears, and back to her downturned lips. He thought it safe to surmise this girl was not from Hyrule and was probably a person of great importance.

Sheik frowned; he could feel Zelda's consciousness stirring in the back of his mind. She would awaken soon. He turned to leave, but a certain needle prodding his mind stopped him. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so…curious. He beckoned the woman to follow him. _Aunt Impa…she'll know what to do._

* * *

Earlier that day, the bright morning sun was already streaming through the gauzy curtains of Peach's bedroom window while she dressed herself. The larks and bluebirds sang out, as usual, and she slipped on her most comfortable silk flats. By all measures, it was just another beautiful summer day in the Mushroom Kingdom.

A warm breeze fluttered her dress and hair on her way out to the courtyard to meet her cousin, Daisy. She took a moment to check her makeup, touching up her lip gloss before meeting the exuberant princess of Sarasaland, who was already in the courtyard stationed in front of a buffet of picnic goods, eying them with gluttonous intent.

The picnic proceeded as normal; delicious strawberry scones and watermelon iced tea, fresh fruit, and tiny cupcakes. Even the conversation was standard; pleasant talks about the last Mario Party, an upcoming tennis tournament, Peach's public works project to expand the local library, and even Daisy's embarrassing disclosure about the pleasing qualities of the younger Mario Brother's callipygian backside.

The whole scene was so pleasant; it made the Koopa King want to vomit. He piloted his Clown Car down toward the two monarchs. Terrified screams issued from the castle as Mushroom guards tried to waddle on short legs to warn the princesses of the impending danger, but it was too late. Bowser leaped from his aircraft and landed with a quake. His signature laugh erupted from his throat with a stream of wickedly hot flames.

"Good morning, ladies," he oozed, sarcasm and smarm dripping from every syllable. "Hope you don't mind that I…dropped by." He laughed at his own joke. Daisy rolled her eyes; he was so corny it was almost hard to take him seriously. Almost. "Now, I think we all know what I'm here for, so if you'll just excuse me…" He reached toward Peach, who shrieked and backed away.

Daisy intercepted by throwing her body between her cousin and the monster.

"Get back, Peach!"

Bowser roared in annoyance. "Step aside, Red. I know you're dying for a piece of this hot Koopa bod, but blondes have more fun. Too bad for you."

"Don't flatter yourself!" she spat in response, "Who could ever want someone like you?"

Bowser feigned a hurt look, "Oh Daisy, you wound me!" He laughed that sick, terrible laugh. "Luckily, I don't need to be wanted to get what _I_ want. It just so happens our little Peachy is my golden ticket to the Mushroom Kingdom's throne, and failing that, she always proves to be excellent Mario bait. When I get that fat plumber in my grips, I'm gonna squeeze him 'til he pops like an overstuffed tick." He narrowed his eyes, indicating that he was finished with idle chitchat. "Now I'll say it again…get out of my WAY!" He finished with a roar, swiping Daisy aside with huge scaly claws.

"Peach, run!" screamed Daisy as she hurtled to the ground. Peach didn't have to be told twice. She hitched up her skirt and tore into the trees on the periphery of the courtyard. She nimbly navigated the forest, trying to ignore the frightening roars and stomps closing in behind her.

She ran, ducking under low branches and jumping to avoid exposed roots, until her lungs ached for air and a painful side stitch ripped across her body. She doubled over and chanced a look back to see Bowser grunting and ripping small trees in his path up from their roots. She didn't have much time to escape.

"I've got you now, my little Peachy…don't you run, I wouldn't want to have to hurt you," he snarled.

Still panting, Peach slowly backed away, not daring to take her eyes off the Koopa King. She knew he had her cornered; with her inferior height, there was no way she'd be fast enough to get away now. Walking backward, a gnarled root caught her foot, tripped her, and sent her falling backwards and down, down into a deep black hole. She squeezed her eyes shut and fell with an echoing scream.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This story takes place about 5 years after the events of OoT; therefore, Zelda is a little older, a little wiser (and way paranoid). To be honest, TP Zelda is my favorite Zelda, so I definitely gave this Zelda a little of that flavor, especially useful to contrast the bearer of Wisdom with the other pink princess of Nintendo.**

 **Also, hopefully it's clear enough, but since Zelda and Sheik live in the same body and share the same mind, they don't really need to speak aloud to each other, unless someone slips out of habit. (Kind of like talking to yourself, sometimes you realize you just said it out loud.)**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"And when I opened my eyes again, I must have been here in…umm…"

"Hyrule. You were found in the Lost Woods, in the Faron Province," Lady Impa explained from an armless blue chair stationed around a long table inside the dining hall inside Hyrule Castle.

Zelda, Princess of Hyrule, peered at her from the end of the table, eyes narrowed and lips turned downward in a frown. _Sheik…what is the meaning of bringing this girl here? So careless…_

" _Was I to leave her in the Lost Woods? She surely would have perished if left on her own."_

Zelda brushed her brownish-blonde hair behind her shoulder. _You didn't have to bring her here; I'm certain the town guard could have taken responsibility._

" _Doubtful, without access to the Jabber Nut, they would have never been able to understand her language."_

 _It wasn't your concern!_

The dust of construction had barely settled and the echoes of workers' hammers could still be heard though the white marble passages of Hyrule Castle. The lessons of Ganondorf's invasion were written all over the castle exterior. Thick grey slabs of Goron granite to protect from trebuchets and arrows, a drawbridge and reinforced Dekuwood doors to bar enemy troops and horses, if they ever made it past the fortified city walls.

The palace interior boasted the latest Hyrulian technology, like counterweight lifts that harnessed the power of water, as well as the world's finest modern luxuries, like chandeliers, which combined masterful glass and metalworking techniques and required a small army of servants with long reaching poles to light all the candles they held.

Rich rugs and tapestries covered some of the cold marble to provide a sense of warmth to the palace; but every guard wore a stoic stare instead of a smile. Hylian servants hustled to polish dull silverware and iron creased linens for the oft-neglected royal dining table. The area was abuzz with gossip of a foreign guest. How long had it been since the last one? Zelda was notoriously not fond of visitors; she preferred her privacy and usually took her meals in her room. A rumor among the servants was that Zelda never actually ate, as she managed to keep her svelte, muscular figure without any visible exercise and most had never seen her take so much as a nibble of food in their presence.

The two princesses and shadowy guardian picked at their salad greens, the terse pecks of forks versus plates echoing off the marble walls of the oversized chamber. Scarcely a word was uttered between the three of them; perhaps a quick compliment on the quality of the meal or the table setting or this or that, followed by susurrus of agreement before silence settled back on the table.

Impa broke the silence once more, "Something about your story concerns me, Milady. Please tell us more about this King Bowser who chased you to this land."

"Oh, him," Peach frowned, "How can I put this? Bowser is…a menace to my kingdom and its people. He has a heart of ruthless evil and he will stop at nothing to claim more power. He has his sights set on my throne and regularly attempts to kidnap me and force his way to power. He's extremely intimidating and none of my Mushroom Guards are effective at stopping his advances. The only one who is able to defeat him is my champion, Mario, and even then Bowser always seems to return, stronger than ever."

Zelda's eyebrows rose; it all sounded so familiar.

"Do you suspect this King Bowser followed you into Hyrule?"

Peach shook her head. "I can't be certain he didn't, but I didn't see him in the Lost Woods and he's pretty hard to miss."

Impa pursed her lips, clearly not satisfied with the answer. "Very well."

Zelda looked down hard at her plate, utterly fuming at the possibility of sharing her castle, her space, with this…other. She glanced at Peach, who was taking deep and careful breaths, eyes glancing back and forth between Impa and Zelda, waiting for either of them to say something.

Zelda looked down before Peach managed to catch her eyes; she did not want to accidentally reassure her. _No, she should feel nervous; she is not welcome in these lands, and certainly not welcome in my palace._

She rolled her eyes inwardly. Of course, Sheik had already begun to doze off, as he usually did when he was not in control of her body. _Typical, sleeping the day away while Impa and I fix the trouble he has caused. Some Sheikah guardian he is._

She glanced up at Impa, who was unreadable as ever, entirely focused on her plate. At some point during the war, Impa had made a habit focusing on every meal as if it might be her last, eating slowly and mindfully, and mentally recording every flavor and texture. Impa noticed the royal staring at her and swallowed.

" _Quite a story. A princess from another world, chased by evil forces, inadvertently falls into a portal into our world while evading attack. If her tale is genuine, it would mean she is a political refugee."_ Impa noiselessly whispered into Zelda's mind.

 _I am suspicious. Though I have not sensed any malicious intent from this woman, there is always the possibility that she may be an unwitting pawn of Ganondorf or his people._

" _Have you sensed him getting stronger?"_

 _No, but as long as his servants live, it is too dangerous to rule out the possibility. With two pieces of the Triforce missing, it would be all too easy for the world to fall into chaos once again._

Zelda furrowed her brows.

 _In addition, I do not like the idea that there may be portals allowing such easy trespass of our lands. Although today there may be so-called 'foreign princesses' dropping into Hyrule, tomorrow it may be dark forces. Already this girl admits she may have accidentally lured a being of evil into Hyrule, does this not concern you as well?_

Impa nodded, _"I agree, I believe an investigation is in order. Shall I organize a search party to investigate the Lost Woods for evidence of portals?"_

Zelda thought for a moment, not sure if she wanted to commit valuable troops away from the protection of the castle. If this girl turned out to be a fraud, it could be a trap to weaken the castle's defense.

Peach sneezed, causing everyone else at the table to jump. She whispered an apology.

Sheik brightened, butting into the conversation from the back of Zelda's mind, _"Hey, don't we know someone who knows a fair bit about otherworldly portals?"_

Zelda frowned. She would rather not get _him_ involved in this. Still…

Impa smirked, _"Yes Sheik, perhaps it would be wise to consult with the hero before we commit any troops to the matter. Princess Zelda?"_

Zelda sighed. _Understood, I will send a summons to him this afternoon. In the meantime, what do we do with…the girl?_

" _As a royal political refugee under Hyrulian protection, the only legal place for her to stay would be…"_

Zelda widened her eyes in shock, visibly agitated. _Surely you jest! You don't truly think she should stay here in the palace. It would be far better to house her at an inn!_

" _I am quite sincere and the law is clear upon this matter. For what it's worth, in the palace we can keep a closer eye upon her."_

Zelda slid her chair backwards and stood abruptly, throwing her cloth napkin down upon the seat.

"Please excuse me," she said, before turning on her heel to exit, slamming the Dekuwood doors behind her.

* * *

 _You caused this disaster and now you will take responsibility!_

Sheik mentally shrugged his shoulders from within Zelda's mind, " _I'm at your command, now and forevermore,"_ he droned.

The dark of night had crept over the hills and valleys of Hyrule, and Zelda had shut herself in her chambers, but she could not shut the door on her discomfort. The stranger was still here, making herself comfortable in one of the palace guest rooms. Her very presence was a disturbance, an invasion.

" _Although, I don't understand why you can't just check on her yourself."_

Zelda did not respond.

Sheik mentally rolled his eyes, but was secretly grateful for the chance to sate his own curiosity about the newcomer. _"Fine, I'll assist with your espionage."_

Using the power of the Triforce, Zelda's satin dress melted into Sheik's exoskeleton in a dull flash, her gloves replaced with bandaged fingertips, and her once blue eyes shone a fiery crimson. The power of the Triforce of Wisdom helped Zelda to sustain two minds in one body and provided the energy necessary to perform the Sheikah art of transformation of appearance. Unfortunately for Sheik, underneath this magical wardrobe change, the body was still Zelda's: thin, frail, and undeniably female.

Sheik slinked down the torch-lit hallways toward the guest room's doorway. He felt his heart begin to beat faster upon approach, his hands lightly shaking. Sheik smirked; the adrenaline rush was the best part of the sneaking experience; it had been so long since he felt it.

He crept along the wall and melted into the shadow at the threshold of the closed door. He slowly extended his hand to grasp the brass doorknob, bandaged fingers tingling…

The door swung open without a noise revealing…an empty room.

" _Empty!? Where is she?"_ Zelda roared.

 _Shh._ Sheik heard the sound of soft, echoing conversation come from nearby. Thinking quickly, he jumped into a large wicker laundry hamper just before Peach and a maid rounded the corner and entered the room.

"Thank you very much,' Peach said, accepting a bundle before closing the door behind her.

 _Trapped._ From within the wicker basket, Sheik could barely see Peach's outline as she lit each sconce on the wall, then moved over to the bed to set something down. She was humming to herself again, distractedly. He took care to breathe quietly and remain perfectly still.

"Hmm hmm hmm…it's a boom-bassa-boom…festival."

Sheik paled as he heard the sound of running water nearby, soon to be coupled with the uncomfortable doom of a rose-like fragrance wafting through the air. He heard a rustle of fabric, and then another.

 _Oh no…_

He felt, as he knew he must, a bundle of pink fabric fall upon him, still warm from the body it was covering a second ago. Sheik squeezed his eyes shut as he felt two smaller pieces of fabric pile on top. _This was a mistake…_

" _Oh grow up,"_ Zelda hissed.

He heard the soft slaps of her bare feet against the tile floor of the attached bathroom a few feet away. He tried not to imagine her body sliding into the bathtub as he heard the water swish and drip. He heard Peach pull the curtain, now safely in the tub and, he presumed, covered by bubbles.

He pulled the pink dress off his head and peered out over the edge of the basket. _Time to go…_

He waited for Peach to dunk her head under the water to wet her hair before gingerly sneaking out of the basket, tip-toeing onto the floor. The sconce flickered from the wind of his swift motion.

Peach sat up and grasped the edge of tub with one hand, wiping soap bubbles away from her eyes with the other. "Hello? Is someone there?"

Her voice echoed off the walls of her empty room.

* * *

Link had packed up his things, closing his chest of drawers with a kick and a sigh. The no-longer hero of Hyrule looked around his Kakariko home with a tinge of regret. This land was changing, possibly for the better, but there was no room in such a place for someone like him.

He slung his quiver over his shoulder. He had given all he could to Hyrule and its royal family, and now he could only feel it was time to leave. He opened his front door noiselessly and shut it gently, leaving the door unlocked. Nothing that was left inside the house meant anything to him, and with any luck he would never return.

He walked briskly to the stables to release Epona when he heard a shout cut through the midnight silence.

"Hey! Mr. Link, Waaaiiiiit!" The postman came running up to him, his red hat perched upon his perpetually sweaty head. "I've got a letter delivery for you."

Link sighed as the postman dug the paper out of the bag. The letter was from the castle. It seemed his midnight escape would have to wait.


	3. Chapter 3

"Um, Princess Zelda…" Peach tightened her death grip on the saddle and reins of the bay mare she was riding. At fourteen hands high, the horse was by no means large, but it was still far higher than any Yoshi on which she had ever ridden.

"Yes?" Zelda held her head aloft, barely glancing back at Peach, who was swaying and bumping in her saddle like a sack of old potatoes.

"You never told me, where are we going?"

"To the temple," Zelda replied, lowering her eyelids to block out the glare of the morning sun peeking out around Death Mountain. "We are going to pray."

"Oh…" Peach reached down with her free hand to smooth out her wrinkled dress. She didn't have any other clothes in Hyrule, so she had to put on her same clothes from yesterday. Zelda looked away and pretended not to notice.

They continued riding in silence, save for the sound of hooves against the cobblestone path away from the castle. "And when we return to the castle, we shall have an audience with Link, the hero of Hyrule." _The former hero._

Peach sat up straight as she could, at attention, "The hero!? Hyrule has a hero?"

Peach beamed; she was so lucky to have the opportunity to meet the hero of this realm. "Please tell me about the hero; what is he like?"

Sheik scoffed from the recesses of Zelda's mind. Impa had ordered him to stay awake and keep an eye out for any signs of danger to Zelda; so far all seemed to be in order.

Zelda hesitated, "Link is…hmm…"

" _A little disappointing?"_ Sheik offered.

"Link is a noble warrior who brought peace in Hyrule's darkest hour. He brought the kingdom back from the brink of destruction by defeating the Gerudo King, an evil man who tried to force his way to the throne and conquer the world. That was five years ago."

"That's amazing," Peach swooned, a real hero, dashing and true in this fantastic world full of humans. She wondered what he might look like…she couldn't help but picture Mario, though maybe taller, with pointed Hylian ears, in Hyrulian clothing, and wielding a sword. Oh, and maybe no moustache. She blushed.

Suddenly, a thought grabbed her and she bit her lip, "Wait… was that man who brought me to the castle, the one with the red eyes, was that…Link?"

Zelda's head snapped toward Peach, eyes widened and nostrils flared. "No, it wasn't. The person who brought you to the castle is nobody; just a guard."

Peach wanted to ask if the guard had a name, after all, he had probably saved her life, but she sensed the discomfort in Zelda's voice and changed the topic. "Oh, I see…well, what has Link been doing since he saved your kingdom five years ago?"

Sheik grumbled in agitation despite himself. Now he was a nobody? How rude. As a Sheikah living in another's skin, it was safe to say he had grown accustomed to lurking in the shadows with none but Zelda and Impa knowing of his existence. Frankly, it was a shock to hear this girl remembered him or cared who he was.

Come to think of it, he had forgotten how…nice it felt to be acknowledged. But his moment of acknowledgement had been stolen from him with one sentence: He is nobody. Nobody. No body. Well, it was true. He sighed.

"Lady Peach?" said Zelda suddenly, avoiding Peach's question about Link, "I was wondering if you might…do me a favor."

"Yes, of course, anything," replied Peach, happy to help her host warm up to her in any way possible.

"I think it would be best not to mention to anyone about that guard who brought you to the castle. He's...a secret guard. Do you know what I mean?"

"A secret guard? You mean, like a spy?"

"Yes, like a spy," she parroted, "Now promise you'll keep it a secret."

Peach smiled and laughed, "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

* * *

Sheik shook his head from within Zelda's mind, gradually returning to consciousness. He peeked out from behind her blue eyes. How long had he been out for this time?

Through blurred vision, he could see a sprawling expanse of green. Turf, topiaries, and trees made a wall of green between the walls of grey. They must have already come back to the castle courtyard. He could make out the blurred figure of his aunt sitting next to Zelda at a linen-covered table.

 _Welcome back,_ Zelda thought to him.

He groaned; this happened every time she went to pray or converse with the goddesses. The power of the Triforce, the power that should be sustaining him, all went toward Zelda's spiritual endeavors. A bright blue energy would envelop her consciousness, the same energy that would close all around him, squeezing and shutting him out until…

Like any Sheikah warrior, he was not afraid of death; yet, he still counted himself lucky every time he was able to recover from the intense spiritual energy. He felt certain that one day he would not.

His consciousness rapidly returning, Sheik could now hear a lively conversation from the princess sitting across from Zelda. She was smiling brightly, holding up her tilted head with her hand pressed into the side of her cheek. One look at her shining sapphire eyes and he could tell exactly what she was seeing: that silky, blond hair poking out from that adorable long green hat; his troubled blue eyes and pouty mouth with downturned corners that made him look so wonderfully serious.

Sheik laughed, and then frowned.

Nearby, Impa smirked into her cup of tea, not daring to make eye contact with anyone at the table.

"Oh, Mr. Link, it sounds like you've had so many adventures! You must have seen all kinds of amazing things on your journeys," Peach fawned, " I haven't seen very much of Hyrule, but I would love to learn more about the land and its inhabitants…"

Link shifted awkwardly in his seat; he could feel Peach's shining eyes on his face.

Sheik grumbled, " _Hmph, seems that girl loves heroes like Dodongos love bombs."_

 _Sheik, what are you talking about? Bombs kill Dodongos._

Sheik grinned, " _Exactly; just imagine how heartbroken she'll be when he learns her handsome hero prefers the company of m—"_

 _Silence! Someone should have fed you a bomb ages ago._

Sheik laughed; it was too easy to get under Zelda's skin. She had a lot of work to do before she'd survive as Hyrule's queen. Although, he had a bit of an advantage; it's not like she could escape him even if she wanted to. He sighed; it would be unfair, except he couldn't exactly escape her either.

"A great lake? That sounds absolutely beautiful! I'd love to see it for myself one day!" Peach said.

"Ahem, if I might cut in before we lose track of time," Zelda interrupted. "We have a specific need of your knowledge in regards to otherworldly portals. As you know, we believe Lady Peach has fallen from a portal, and would _certainly_ be missed if not returned to her own world in a timely manner."

Link looked taken aback, shooting a peculiar glance across the table before regaining his composure. He shook his head.

As the meeting progressed, it became clear that the Hero of Time had never heard of Princess Peach's world.

The best advice the swordsman could offer was that in his experience, portals required powerful magic to open, and once opened they would remain so until someone stepped though them, at which point they would close.

Peach smiled, "Well, at least that means that Bowser can't follow me here. That's a bit of a relief."

Far from relieved, Zelda shook her head and frowned. The question now wasn't if baddies would follow Peach into Hyrule; it was who possessed such powerful magic to make such a portal in the first place?

* * *

Fireflies hung suspended in the still night air around Lake Hylia. Usually Sheik's favorite night training spot, tonight instead he found himself unable to focus, pacing back and forth trying to clear his mind. He stood still on a small island in the middle of the lake, gritting his teeth as he entered tree pose. He took a deep breath and exhaled.

 _Damn._

He picked up a rock to throw into some bushes and heard the frogs inside scatter and plop back into the water, and then it was silent again, save for the thick noise of crickets in the reeds.

 _Damn it all._

He sat on the ground, poking a stick into the mud before throwing it into the water. He groaned, thrusting his hands into the cool water and splashing his face repeatedly.

 _Focus. Dedicate yourself to your training. Cease these foolish thoughts. Breathe._

He ran his hands over the rough bark of a tree and began to climb, looping his legs over a branch and letting the rest of his body hang upside-down from the tree. He began to roll up to touch his knees and roll back down, working every inch of his core.

But what use was there to train? The war was over; his purpose had been served. Like a retired farmer's sickle, his very consciousness was a useless relic of the past. Little more than the ghost of nostalgia.

And even she, that pretty foreigner he rescued not two days earlier; her memories of her ghostly savior evaporated when confronted with the flesh and blood of _him._ The _true_ hero. The disgrace of a man who was blessed with everything, yet turned his back on the Goddesses and upon Hyrule.

But at least he was still a man.

Sheik allowed himself to fall out of the tree, waiting until the very last second to twist his body and land on all fours, catlike, on his toes and fingertips. He sprawled out on the sweet-smelling grass, gazing at the star-filled heavens above him, and began counting his breaths.

 _One. Two._

 _Jealousy is a sin._

 _Three. Four._

 _Desire becomes destruction._

 _Five. Six._

 _Breathe; don't think._

A comet blazed across the night sky, its tail burning bright blue behind it before it faded as quickly as it had appeared.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I've done it! Part One of Chalkboard Moon is officially finished on my hard drive, which means I only have to edit and upload (which, of course still takes some time). This is a BIG deal for me, because I've been writing this story forever because, guess what, writing Hyrule is really hard for me. Mushroom Kingdom is crazy, anything goes and everything fits and there's 100,000 characters and settings and little things to mention. Hyrule is so rigid compared to that, and I wanted to be as true as I could to a beloved franchise.**

 **Also, in this chapter, things are finally starting to get good and a story is finally forming! Sorry it took so long! Hopefully, you'll be able to look forward to longer and longer chapters now that the introductions are mostly out of the way. Also, if you haven't already, please go check out my blog, Pixel & Crown (link in my profile!) Thank you for reading and your reviews and your favorites; makes me smile and blush when I get an e-mail from FF on my phone at work.**

* * *

Kotake pressed her fingertips into her sagging eye pouches and clucked her tongue. "I'm getting old…" she muttered, dipping her fingers into a thick, greasy, medicinal-smelling ointment.

She smeared the paste around her eyes, massaging it into her sagging skin. "Ohhhh…" she groaned into the mirror, watching her wrinkles stretch and contract as she squished her face. "Ooohhh…"

"What's all the moaning about in here? You'd better not be using your crystal ball for looking at what I think you're looking at…" screeched Koume.

"I'm getting old…" repeated Kotake, mostly to herself.

Koume sniffed, "You're not getting old, you're already there. Come, we have matters at hand that are more important than gazing into mirrors. King Ganondorf is counting on us."

Kotake sighed, "True, but is this any way to greet our lord, looking so old and haggard…?"

"All the magic ointments in Hyrule couldn't save you from looking old and haggard. Come Kotake, time is short, we must work diligently to revive Ganondorf."

* * *

Rows of eager young men, their shining faces peering at their general, crowded into formation at Hyrule Castle's training grounds. The scent of sweet summer hay stirred upon the wind, and all was silent save for the clattering of some abandoned spears falling victim to the breeze.

Impa paced back and forth in front of these "men". New recruits, green around the ears and the taste of their mother's milk still within their mouths. What they lacked in experience, they made up for in enthusiasm. Having never witnessed firsthand the horrors of war and bloodshed, their excitable young imaginations filled in the details with legends of honor and victory.

Impa smirked, "Recruits!"

"Yes Ma'am," they chanted in unison, standing at attention.

"As you no doubt have heard, Hyrule Castle is host to a foreign visitor. She is an important figure and a political refugee. She is young, quite beautiful, and naturally all other information is classified."

Impa paused for effect, allowing the guards to sneak anticipatory glances at one another.

"In any case, our visitor has alerted us to a potential…situation, which requires immediate investigation. Effective immediately, I will be assembling a troop of Hyrule's finest to lead the expedition."

Impa paused again, noting the eagerness in the faces of her troops. Many young men were shifting from one foot to the other, waiting for their assignment. With a breath, she prepared to deal the blow.

"The site of the investigation is to be the Lost Woods, recruits who are—"

Impa found herself uncharacteristically cut off by a series of grumbles and discontented murmurs. In the discord, she could pick out words like "goose chase" and "suicide mission".

"Attention!" she barked, calling her recruits to order with a stern glare. "This is a purely voluntary mission. No man will be forced to participate outside his own volition. Now, if any man wishes to take up the mantle of duty to his sovereign, and surely he would be recognized for his deeds upon his return, they may form a squadron to my right."

A few soldiers shuffled their feet toward the imaginary line, but hesitated when they saw none had moved to follow them. Others looked anxiously at their comrades in arms, seeing if anyone else would be willing to brave the notoriously treacherous woods.

Impa scoffed with disdain; it seemed the age of heroes was truly at its end.

* * *

That night, Zelda barely had time to collapse backwards atop the white comforter of her four-poster bed before a familiar knock caused her to bolt upright again.

"You may enter," she called to her general.

Impa slid noiselessly into the room, softly closing the door behind her. "A report, Your Highness."

Zelda gestured to the empty space on the bed next to her. Impa sat next to the princess, her hands automatically reaching to undo the combs and plaits in her hair as she had every night for so many years during the war.

Zelda let herself sink into her caregiver's gentle administrations and sighed, "Very well, what is your report?"

"As you have requested, I have set up a small volunteer task force to assist in searching for a portal to Lady Peach's kingdom."

"Hmm…" Zelda closed her eyes to better feel the gentle tug of the hairbrush brushing away and soothing her anxieties.

"…I needn't tell you that being deployed to the Lost Woods is an unpopular option for our troops. There were few volunteers. I still believe it is in Hyrule's best interest to continue to search for portals, to give us an opportunity to neutralize any potential threats; however…if I may make a suggestion?"

Zelda nodded.

"We must consider the possibility of Lady Peach's long term residency. While it is too soon to make that judgment, it certainly wouldn't hurt to make preparations."

Zelda turned to fix her general with a suspicious frown. "Am I correct in assuming you are not referring to a citizenship visa?"

Sheik cracked his lids open to see his aunt standing before Zelda.

" _Good evening, Aunt,"_ he declared, politely indicating that their conversation was no longer a private affair.

"Good evening, Sheik," Impa replied aloud, receiving Sheik's telepathic greeting.

She cleared her throat to continue. "You are correct. We must not release the girl into Hyrule without proper instruction of our laws, our geography, and our peoples. I doubt she would be able to succeed in society without basic literacy skills, and many would think it unseemly if the castle could not provide some sort of assistance…"

Sheik's frowned in confusion. Were they already considering releasing Princess Peach? What about the search for her portal in the Lost Woods?

"Shall she attend day school in Castle Town with the Hyrulian children then? Surely there she could learn the necessary skills."

Impa pursed her lips, "No, I'm afraid a children's day school would almost certainly be considered inappropriate for a woman of her station; it would be a scandal for this palace. In addition, letting her loose in Castle Town at this time may expose her to unnecessary risk."

"What can we do then?" Zelda asked.

Sheik piped up _, "Forgive my intrusion, but would private instruction not be the fastest, and most befitting choice?"_

Zelda shook her head _, "_ security risk is too great; we must find another option. Many of my old tutors have long since passed on, and I will not tolerate a second stranger inside the palace."

Sheik scoffed; the girl needed only to learn basic Hyrulian history and how to read and write. It was no complex matter, literally anyone in Hyrule could teach her those things. Literally anyone…

A light went off in his head.

" _Very well then, I shall volunteer."_

"What?"

" _It would be no trouble for me to teach her about Hyrule and how to read so, if you are willing, the duty shall be mine."_

"Sheik, I'm in no mood for jokes…"

" _I assure you, I am most sincere."_ Sheik said in a soft, quiet tone, _"Please, allow me to be useful."_

Zelda scoffed in outrage, "Absolutely preposterous. Besides all of the obvious reasons, you taking any extra time in my body for such endeavors would be absolutely out of the question. I don't have enough ours in the day as it is."

She turned to Impa hoping she would back her up; say it was an impossible, ill-advised idea. Instead, she found her general frowning at the ground, listening, but unwilling to get in the middle of this debate. Zelda couldn't help but feel mildly betrayed.

Sheik sighed. _"I would only need just a few more hours in the morning, say until lunchtime…in return you could take those extra hours in the evening. I will perform my training in the wee hours until dawn; it would be a small sacrifice."_

Zelda raised her eyebrows; Sheik's offer of precious night hours, free of interruptions and disturbances, had piqued her interest. True, she could use the hours he was busy playing teacher to rest her mind and be ready to tackle the problems facing Hyrule by the afternoon, but she couldn't shake the feeling that this notion was nothing short of absurd. To tempt her with such an offer…

Zelda narrowed her eyes, _"And just why, pray tell, are you so invested in this particular task?"_

She thought she saw the ghost of a smile on Impa's face and knew her caretaker was wondering the same thing.

" _As you mentioned previously, I brought the girl to the castle, so I feel I bear some responsibility in this matter,"_ Sheik remarked with a shrug.

Zelda paused; waiting for a second response; that is, a more telling response. "And?"

Sheik sighed, " _And that's it. This is the first opportunity I've had to make myself useful in this matter. Truly, I've had no chance to make a difference in any matter in the last five years. For the love of Nayru, please allow me this one simple task; I shall not fail you."_

Zelda gritted her teeth. She couldn't help but feel like this was somehow a horrible idea, but she couldn't think of reasonable grounds on which to object.

"I…I have serious reservations about the merit of this if allowing an outsider to have contact with you reveals our secret: who and what you are?"

" _I will not fail. Our disguise was enough to fool both Ganondorf and the Hero of Time; I am confident we will not be discovered by a foreigner who knows nothing of our arts,"_ Sheik declared, carefully metering his words. The slightest betrayal of nervousness in his voice would equal the end of his plan.

Zelda hesitated, "Impa, what are your thoughts on this?"

Impa unfolded her arms; "I have heard both valid concerns and a convincing argument; I believe it is up to you to trust your inner wisdom on this matter. I cannot intervene, but I will say that if a suitable tutor cannot be found for Lady Peach, I would be happy to take on this task myself if need be."

Zelda ran her hands through her hair. This was obviously important to Sheik, for whatever reason but…why couldn't she shake this worry?

"Sheik…"

Sheik's morale faded when he heard the tone in her voice. Zelda felt his demeanor drop and sighed. She couldn't stand to disappoint one more person, especially not someone she cared about so deeply.

"…Provisionally, I agree; but if there are problems unforeseen, I'll have to reconsider."

Sheik's eyes widened in surprise, and he felt his heart hammering in his chest due to Zelda's anxiety. Even Impa looked mildly surprised.

"A- _agreed! When do we begin?"_

"Let us make preparations to begin next week. Impa, please see to it that the study adjacent to the library will be vacant for those hours beginning next week."

"Of course, Princess. If that is all, I shall take my leave."

"That is all. Goodnight, Impa."

"Goodnight Princess," said Impa, before closing the door behind her.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Slowly by slowly building up. It takes time to coax a Sheikah out of his cowl, you know?  
**

* * *

The sun had not yet burned through the summer morning mist where he waited for his aunt and the figure in pink to round the fountain of the desolate courtyard. Impa folded her arms across her chest scanning the trees with hawk-like eyes. Her eyes narrowed and she spotted him, but not before a Deku nut flashed in front of the fountain and in its smoke, Sheik revealed himself, casually sitting on the edge of the stone with the Goddess Harp in his hands.

When blue eyes met red, Peach gasped. "It's you!"

Sheik coolly rose from his position and bowed at the waist. Inside, his heart was hammering. It had been years since his last verbal interaction with anyone outside of Zelda or Impa.

Impa sighed, a distinct look of annoyance and disappointment on her face. "Milady, may I introduce…your tutor," she waved her arm lamely toward her nephew and subordinate. "Will you require my presence further, or shall I take my leave?"

Peach stammered, "You…you may go, thank you…"

Impa shot Sheik a glare before leaving, as if to warn him to behave himself.

Peach stood staring at him in disbelief. Sheik also stared silently, heart pounding, unsure of what to say.

Peach broke the silence, dropping her head in a curtsey. "You saved my life…thank you."

Sheik felt a blush creep up his cheeks, thankfully mostly hidden by his cowl. "Think nothing of it."

Peach extended her hand. "Well I…don't believe I've introduced myself properly. I'm Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom."

Sheik closed his hand over hers and bowed his head toward it. "You may call me Sheik."

He held her hand there for a moment too long before dropping it unceremoniously, quickly realizing he had no idea how or what he was supposed to teach this young woman about Hyrule.

He cleared his throat, "Well, perhaps you would begin by telling me what you have already learned about Hyrule?" he asked in a voice that he hoped sounded authoritative.

He placed his hand inside his pocket, absentmindedly rubbing his bandaged fingertips over the sharp, rough metal edge of a lucky charm concealed in his tabard, feeling the familiar comfort of it poking though the bandage and into his flesh.

"Oh, yes of course." Peach stood upright to recite the few things Impa and Zelda had mentioned to her. "In the beginning, Hyrule was created by three goddesses. Din who created a wild earth, then Nayru tamed the land with natural law, and finally Farore created all the living things, including all the races of Hyrule. The major sentient races of Hyrulians are the Hylians who live in villages, the Zora who live in the water, the Gerudo who live in the desert, the Gorons who live in the mountains, and the Kokiri who live in the forest. The primary currency in Hyrule is…"

"Wait," Sheik interrupted. "You've missed one of the races of Hyrule."

"Oh, I'm sorry…I thought…"

"You forgot to mention the Sheikah."

Peach halted, frowning in confusion. "Sheikah? I'm sorry, I don't think I ever learned about the Sheikah. What sort of race are they?"

A sad, painful smirk crossed his face, "In a word? Endangered. Long ago, the Sheikah were tasked with the protection of the Goddess Hylia's descendants: the Hylian Royal Family. We were a proud tribe, warriors of shadow, skilled in the art of concealment. But as the number of wars grew, the number of Sheikah dwindled, and now there are only a few remaining and the world has long since forgotten our sacrifices in service to the Royal Family."

Peach, physically withering under the intensity of her new tutor, barely managed to squeak, "Oh how horrible…where do the Sheikah live now?"

"In the shadows, as they always did," Sheik replied with a dooming finality.

Peach bit her lip, unsure of what else to say. A cool breeze caused her to shudder.

Sheik cleared his throat once more, inwardly cursing his lack of social grace, "Uh, well, it may also be of interest that the Sheikah founded Kakariko Village, in the Eldin Province."

Peach instantly brightened, "Oh, that's where Mr. Link lives, right?"

Sheik felt his face fall. Did anything hold as much interest to this girl as "Mr. Link"? Ironically, as his tribe paid the ultimate price to protect the Royal Family generation after generation, the wielder of the Triforce of Courage received all the glory and admiration. Such was the nature of fighting from the shadows.

The Sheikah suddenly felt more tired than he ever had, "I think that will be all for today."

Peach looked around, the early morning fog just beginning to clear. "Oh, are we already finished so soon?"

Sheik looked at her, longing to creep back into the solitude of the shadows. "Yes, only for today. I must…reserve time to plan your lessons now that I understand what you know of Hyrule."

Peach looked dismayed, "Oh, okay. Well, until tomorrow then."

"Thank you, Milady, for your time and attention. Farewell." He disappeared with a flash, leaving the confused princess behind.

* * *

The next morning, Sheik buried his head in his hands and literally bemoaned the previous day's awkward encounter. Why had he volunteered for this task? What in the world made him tell that stupid story? How could he have thought that _making an entrance,_ for Goddesses' sake, was a decent idea?

He flopped his upper body onto the table before him. It was official: some time during the last five years of relative solitude he had become certifiably, absolutely, irredeemably lame and it was mortifying beyond belief.

Upon hearing the brass doorknob wiggle, he immediately forced himself upright, his face painted with a patient, indifferent stoicism. Peach appeared in the doorway, holding a slip of paper in her hand. She was a little late, but it was better than never.

Sheik smiled graciously, like he had practiced the day before. "Good morning, Princess. I see my test was a success; you were able to read my note and find your way to this study."

"Um…" Peach blushed; she had actually had a servant read it to her before she finished her breakfast.

"I would like to begin our lesson today with an apology for my words and actions yesterday. It was not my intention to bring about such a heavy topic, nor abandon my duties as your tutor."

"N-No! No apologies are necessary; I thoroughly enjoyed hearing your tale. It made me sad, but it made me think too. Thank you."

Sheik only grew redder. Perhaps she was being gentle with him because she pitied him. Perish the thought. He cleared his throat. "Well, today we shall concentrate on your reading ability; then you will be able to read Hyrulian tales of far more interest."

He gestured for her to take a seat and began explaining the various Hylian symbols.

The first week of study was devoted to mastery of reading, a quiet task made all the more pleasant by Sheik's gentle guidance and steadfast focus. They met daily in the same study, sometimes over tea and scones. Fastidious and kind, Sheik would present a new concept, a simple paragraph for Peach to read, then repeat for three to five hours. He never talked about himself, or deviated from his lesson plan, so as not to make a fool of himself as he did on that first morning.

At midday, he would relinquish her from the study, often with an excerpt from some interesting history book or other, which she would read as she took lunch in the garden next to her favorite statue, the little one that said "Boing boing" when she touched it.

In the evenings, with her oversight of routine political affairs completed, Zelda lit the wicks of two brand new candles and blew the ancient dust off heavy tomes. Nightly, she sat and read like a woman possessed until the candles burned down to their bases and the last flame gave its final sputter of life. Her dreams swirled with the mystic knowledge of her ancestors, her full devotion seeking the shattered pieces of the Triforce. Seeking the power to confront her past and present. Seeking before her enemies could rise again.

* * *

On the first day of second week of Peach's lessons, Sheik had an unexpected vision he would never forget.

The day started normally enough. Sheik handed Peach a brand new feather quill and announced her next lesson was to learn how to write Hyrulian letters.

He began by taking quill to paper and carving out a simple, legible letter for the Princess to copy. She studied the letter for a moment, recognizing its shape and pronunciation, but for the first time studying how the symbol was formed.

She squinted at the letter, carefully tracing each curve and slash before lifting her head to observe her handiwork. She blushed at the awkward inkblot staining the page next to Sheik's well-formed letter.

"It's alright; keep trying," He said, his voice soft, patient.

The following letters looked a little better, but still too wide, with the slashes in awkward positions. She furrowed her brows and tried again. Five times. Ten times. Twenty. Until the letter began to look a bit sloppy.

Peach flushed bright red and set the quill back on the table, "I'm sorry…I…"

"It's okay. You have no reason to feel embarrassed." He picked up the quill and handed it back to her. "May I?"

She nodded and he leaned over her shoulder carefully taking her hand in his, guiding it across the paper to make the exact shape of the letter.

Her warm hand, cupped softly in his. Her shimmering blond hair, so close to his cheek. A sudden sensation gripped him; he caught a whiff of the fragrance of the summers of his short youth:

The farmers of Kakariko cursed the curling tendrils of this needy vine; the weight of its beautiful, fragrant growth would crush the very supports it so desperately clung to, choking and rending the unsuspecting foodstuffs that the villagers relied upon for sustenance. So busy were they, cursing that plant, they never saw young Sheik, hiding within the immense bush, secretly savoring the individual yellow flowers, the nectar of which was viscous and sweet.

The golden honeysuckle swirled and intermingled, seamlessly blending with another memory; his nightly rendezvous with the night blooming jasmines of Lake Hylia while training under the twinkling starts of twilight, the rich intensity vanishing just before the completion of his nightly rituals, ephemeral as the shadows themselves.

Some spark ignited in the dry tinder of his soul. His eyes widened and he jerked away, burying his face in the fabric of his cowl. He felt like a giant pit just opened at the bottom of his stomach.

He noticed Peach's inquisitive glance. Clearing his throat, he said, "There, try to form your letters a little more like that. It takes practice, so…uh, don't give up."

Why had he volunteered for this appointment? The same reason he rescued her from the Lost Woods, the same reason he brought her to the castle.

 _I am a fool._

"Sheik? How would I write my name in Hyrulian?" Peach asked, with a sudden twinkle in her eye.

Sheik looked up, distracted from his musings, "It's your name, you may spell it any way you wish."

"Hmm," Peach pondered for a moment, the end of her white feather quill in the corner of her mouth. Sheik chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

He shook his head, "It's nothing. Here, this is how I'd write your name." He quickly scrawled her name on the paper to distract her. "What do you think?"

She clapped her hands together, "Oh, that's wonderful." She grabbed her quill and tried to copy it with moderate success.

"Not bad."

Peach smiled, "How do you spell your name?"

He chanced a glance at her. "My name?" He wanted to ask why, but thought better of it. He silently wrote out his name, paying careful attention to his handwriting, and then passed the paper over to Peach.

Her golden curls streamed the table as she bent down to copy it on a fresh sheet of paper. Sheik watched her closely, suddenly too interested in what she would write.

Peach slid the paper across the table with pride. He squinted down at the ornate scrolls on her paper. "What is this?"

"That…is how I'd write your name in my language," she pointed to another piece of script, "And this one over here is mine."

Sheik hovered his fingers over the beautiful script, but did not touch the shimmering wet ink. The characters all flowed into one another, one barely distinguishable from the next, and each fantastically complicated.

Sheik raised his eyebrows; her Hyrulian letters were so awkward and clunky, he never suspected she could write so beautifully in her own language. A pang of guilt rushed over Sheik. Peach had made every effort to learn about Hyrule and yet nobody knew anything about her world; nobody had even bothered to ask.

"Hm…this is…May I keep this?"

"Of course."

He glanced out the window. The morning was fading quickly; Zelda would awaken soon, and he still needed time to bury all of these strange emotions. He took a well-loved, old dictionary off the table and handed it to the princess.

"I see we're almost out of time for today, but you've given me an idea. Over the weekend, I would like you to practice your writing by explaining a little bit about your kingdom; I find myself quite curious about your customs. If you get stuck on spelling, use my dictionary."

Peach accepted the book with a sad smile. His hand lingered on the book. "You're upset. Am I asking too much?"

"No, no, not at all. Sorry, I just thought of something that made me a little sad, that's all."

"Oh," Sheik released the book, "do you think it would help…if you told me?"

Peach gathered her belongings and stood next to the door, cheeks slightly pink. "It's kind of embarrassing…it's just that you're my only friend in all of Hyrule, and I know I won't get to see you again until after the weekend, so it makes me a little sad."

Sheik said nothing, staring at her dumbstruck. Peach blushed and laughed nervously. "Um, anyway, have a good weekend. I promise I'll work hard. Bye."

He stared at the door after her long after she ran out. He was her only friend. But after only a week, she was already his only friend too. He looked at the sheet of paper with both their names in her beautiful native handwriting. Taking a deep breath, he folded it carefully and pressed it tightly to his chest. He stashed the paper carefully inside his clothes, where it would melt away when Zelda took possession of her body.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Longest chapter yet (but not by too much). Sorry for the delay, I got stuck playing Persona 3 FES for the last few weeks, and now my couch has an indent in it where my butt was. Sitting down for 16 hours a day is bad news, maybe I should try to get outside more. I know, I could play croquet! Well, excuses aside, here's your next chapter, now with more croquet.  
**

* * *

The warm westerly winds whipping around the castle courtyards provided ample noise coverage for his sneaking. Past the flowerless hedges, up the lattice trellis, and onto the tiny balcony railing that contained a few flowerpots. The first sliver of the waxing moon warned him this was wrong.

The lights were out in the tiny guest room, and it was easy enough to open the arched double window.

Peach shivered a bit in her bed, bringing the covers closer to her cheeks. Sheik quickly shut the window, waiting noiselessly in the shadows for her to settle down again. Her breaths slowed and deepened once more and he knew it was safe to move.

He glided closer to the bed, and crouched down beside it, staring intently at the foreign princess.

It was just like when he first met her, back at the Temple of Time; her eyes were closed, their long glossy eyelashes tickling her pale, rosy cheeks. Her mouth was slightly open, taking in deep breaths and slowly releasing them, the air all the sweeter for having touched her lips.

He broke his gaze long enough to look around the room. Several fine silk dresses were strewn over the back of a baroque, armless side chair and in the corner was half a dozen boxes lying open, brightly colored tissue and a pair of shoes falling out of each.

He smirked. He had expected a noblewoman such as Peach to be a bit tidier but then there was Zelda, who had a bad habit of hiding her clutter away in drawers, boxes, and closets when it came time to straighten up.

"I may have need of it in the future," she would say of some paper scrap or ornamental trinket. "It only appears disorderly; I'm certain I know exactly where every item in that drawer resides."

"Yes," Sheik would reply, "every item you own resides in that drawer."

He shifted his gaze to her bedside table. There was a small box of chocolate bonbons next to his weathered old dictionary. The pink ribbon that used to be tied around the bonbon box was nestled within its yellowing pages. Without making a sound, Sheik slid the book off the nightstand and flipped to the bookmarked page.

 _Friction. Friday. Fried Egg. Friend._

 _Friend. A person one likes and enjoys being with. One attached to another by affection or esteem. A favored companion._

Sheik slid the book back onto the table and returned to gazing at the princess.

 _Her only friend…_

Which was to say, the only person she likes and enjoys being with. The only person to whom she was attached by affection or esteem.

 _Her most favored companion._

Sheik shook his head to cool his blush. That clearly wasn't what she had meant. A friend was a friend, nothing more and nothing less. It was an honor, surely, but it was an admission. She was lonely in Hyrule, was what she had meant to say, and without his distractions she would become bored over the weekends.

Peach murmured a little in her sleep, then rolled over to face the middle of the bed. Sheik stretched his neck and rose to his full height.

 _And what am I doing in this room?_ He questioned himself, fighting his rising shame. Without chancing a look back at the sleeping princess, he opened her window and flung himself into the bushy trees below.

* * *

A single male Gerudo would be born to the tribe once every hundred years. Gerudo women who wished to be mothers while there was no male around would often invite the more attractive Hylian men into their chambers before kicking them out again.

Ganondorf cleaned the blood of one such unlucky male off the blade of his sword. Smirking darkly, he addressed the half-nude woman gathering her clothes before him. "Go now. Tell Aveil and Nabooru of my return and advise the others for the time being there are to be no more…outsiders inside the fortress."

"Yes, my lord."

* * *

Sheik shifted restlessly in Zelda's consciousness, looking eagerly through her eyes into the vast green lawn of the courtyard, studded with little white hoops. As self-imposed penance for sneaking into Peach's room, he decided to give up his usual weekend afternoon training and convince Zelda to play a game of croquet with Peach.

As much delight as it brought Sheik to think of himself as Peach's only friend, he knew he could only be half a friend to her, if that. It was important, he told himself, that she converse with other women. He was doing this for her good…and perhaps for the sake of catching some private, "girls-only" conversations.

At first, Zelda seized the opportunity to have a bit more time in her own body, but was already beginning to regret it, as having Sheik so unsettled in her periphery was supremely distracting.

 _Settle down already! What has you so worked up?_

" _My apologies, can a man not be excited to play a game of croquet? I can't remember the last time we played…"_

Zelda frowned and rolled her eyes. _Then why not come out here and play croquet yourself?_

Sheik tsked, " _Because you can't play croquet by yourself and I don't have any friends. Incidentally, if you don't stop being so sour, you won't have any friends either. Ah, here comes Lady Peach. Try not to embarrass us!"_

Zelda nearly growled; cruel fate had cursed her with the most annoying Sheikah in her skull.

Peach beamed and waved, appearing not to notice. "Good afternoon, Your Majesty!"

Zelda bowed her head slightly, "Good afternoon, Lady Peach. I see by your vestments you were able to meet with the _couturier._ I trust all went accordingly?"

Peach clasped her hands together, "Yes, of course. Hyrule has such lovely fashions, I couldn't wait to try them all on!"

Zelda chose a purple mallet and ball, opposite to Peach's pink and set her ball on the courtyard grass. Soft wind rustled through the trees, blowing loose a few leaves that gently fluttered to the ground.

Peach hesitated, pleasantly loitering with a casual smile on her face. Zelda watched her, waiting for her to make a move. "Please, Lady Peach, feel free to take the first turn."

Peach blushed, "Oh, uh, well…I have to admit, I don't think I've ever played croquet before. I'm not sure I know how."

Zelda laughed, "And yet you invited me to play! I regret to disappoint you, but it has been so long since I last played that I also cannot recall the rules."

Peach giggled, but looked confused, "Well, I suppose I don't mind just hitting the balls through the wickets and enjoying some fresh air and company but…weren't you the one who invited me?"

Zelda raised an eyebrow. _Damn Sheikah._

Peach merrily whacked her little pink ball through the first wicket. "Well, in any case, I'm sure it feels nice to spend some time away from matters of the state."

Zelda nodded her head, "Yes, it's been…busy."

"Oh? What are some of the hot political matter of the day? If you don't mind me asking."

Zelda hesitated, not wanting to say too much. The ears of evil are always open. "I…cannot say. It's classified information."

"Oh…okay." An uncomfortable silence fell over the royals, and Peach struck her croquet ball through another wicket.

Zelda cleared her throat, "Suffice to say that Hyrule is a land of many talismans and artifacts, and some could be quite dangerous in the wrong hands."

Peach brightened, "Oh! Yes, I understand, we have those kinds of things in the Mushroom Kingdom as well. Once, Bowser stole a very powerful artifact from Star Haven and used it to make all his most terrible wishes come true. It was horrible!"

Zelda swung at her ball and missed the wicket.

"But thanks to Mario, we were able to remove the power from Bowser's evil wishes and defeat him."

 _Bowser…Bowser…_ Where had she heard that name before? A thought flashed in her mind. "Wait, your hero defeated the same Bowser who later chased you into Hyrule?"

"Yes."

Zelda frowned, "But why did you not execute him for high treason after his defeat, while you had the chance?"

Peach stopped and looked at Zelda, blinking a few times. She hadn't really thought about it before. "Execute? You mean like…kill…Bowser?"

Zelda looked directly at Peach, a blunt expression on her face. "Yes, of course."

"Well…I don't really know. I guess we all figured he learned his lesson after he was trounced by Mario, and he agreed to pay for all damages and proper repairs to the castle and kingdom so…"

 _Learned his lesson!? For Goddess' sake!_

Peach coughed, "Well, I'm sure that sounds foolish but, consider even if we did put him on trial, I don't really know how we would…well, he's immune to lava and…"

"Lava? Are you mad?! A simple beheading is all that is required for a treasonous criminal," she insisted, smacking her purple ball hard, knocking Peach's ball to the far end of the courtyard.

Peach gasped and put her hand to her clavicle. How could anyone fathom beheading anyone? The thought alone made her feel sick. She waddled over to her lonely pink ball, nested in the medium-length grasses at the outskirts of the courtyard. She firmly knocked it back into place.

"I…well, I just don't believe putting criminals to death aligns with the values of my kingdom and its inhabitants. Besides, it hardly seems necessary since I know my kingdom will always be safe as long as Mario is around. Don't you feel safe with Mr. Link around?"

Zelda stopped and looked genuinely remorseful for a moment. "The kingdom of Hyrule has already asked too much of Link. We mustn't rely on him in the future."

Peach beamed, "But he's a hero; heroes love adventure and helping out. Things may look bleak, but as long as you have faith in your hero, everything will turn out okay."

 _Such naivety. How has she been so insulated from the horrors and realities of a war torn kingdom, from the strife and suffering a hero must go through? This Mario must be a saint or a god._

"Even heroes are fallible, Lady Peach."

Peach sighed, "To be honest, the Mushroom Kingdom would be in a lot of trouble without Mario around. We are very grateful to him, but perhaps it's not fair how much we count on him."

Zelda nodded sagely and Peach giggled mischievously.

"Why are you laughing?"

"It's a bit embarrassing…"

Sheik's consciousness leaned forward in curiosity and Zelda raised her eyebrows.

"Well, Mario…everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom assumes he and I will get married some day. I'm the princess and he's my champion, after all. I guess I just wondered if people feel the same way about you and Mr. Link?"

Zelda felt her blood turn to ice and an uncomfortable pit form in her stomach. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "I…don't know what people think."

Peach grinned and obliviously sent her pink ball through another white wicket. "Well, I know nobody asked me, but I think you would make an adorable couple."

"Yes, nobody did ask…" Zelda muttered inaudibly.

"Forgive my indiscretion, but he is very handsome," she continued.

… _Well good for him…_

"But he seems so out of place and lonely."

 _That's his problem._

"You two seem to have so much in common…"

 _Now wait just a minute, what are you trying to say?_

"Maybe all he needs is a nice girl to…"

"That's not a possibility!" Zelda shouted, louder than necessary. Sheik barely stifled a snort, causing Zelda to flush red.

"Oh? Why n—"

"I do not wish to talk about it. Let's please change the subject."

"Sorry." Peach bit her lip and a leaf blew from the sky and landed in her hair. "Oh." She picked it out and looked at it.

"Is something the matter?" Zelda asked.

Peach counted silently on her fingers for a few seconds and then sighed. "No, I suppose not. I was just…this weather. I've been here for so long, it's almost autumn."

Zelda reached inside, trying to feel…empathetic. It wasn't something she was used to feeling. "Yes, you must be quite homesick."

Peach gave a weak smile, "I am; I miss everybody so much. It's almost my birthday; they must all be so worried about me."

"I'm sorry. I suppose I should inform you that a temporary resurgence in the number of monsters in the Lost Woods has all but halted the search for a portal back to your world. We plan to continue once it is safer, though the Lost Woods is never truly safe for most Hyrulians."

Peach swallowed hard and nodded, "I understand, and thank you for everything you've done for me already."

Late that night, Peach put the final touches on the paper she was writing for Sheik. _How long will I live in Hyrule Castle? What will become of me if I never find my way home?_

A tear blurred the final line of handwriting before she blew out the candle and tucked herself into bed.

* * *

The grammar was good. The handwriting was fine. A minor mistake here or there with punctuation but nothing too jarring. By all standards, the paper could have been written by a native Hyrulian, perhaps a young one with an unusually robust vocabulary.

Sheik stretched and massaged his neck, letting out a deep yawn. Peach sat on her hands and looked worried.

"Is it terrible?" she sighed.

Sheik shook his head. "No, it's good. There's just one…" He moved his seat inward with a sigh and looked out the window. He had given up training for the whole weekend to convince Zelda to play with Peach. He would not say he regretted it, but his whole body hummed with restlessness. They had not yet been in the room for 15 minutes and he was already beginning to question if he had the fortitude to sit in this study all day.

"Is something the matter?" Peach asked, cocking her head to try to peer into Sheik's downcast eyes. He was usually so reserved and formal; she had never seen him act this way.

Sheik straightened with a cough. "Well…no. This paper is so well done I'm afraid I'm going to run out of things to teach you." He looked at her with a smirk, causing a flip of hair to fall into his face lamely.

Peach shook her head with a blush, "You can't fool me with flattery, Sheik. I don't think you need to worry about running out of things to teach me. There's still so much about Hyrule I don't know."

"Well, it is my duty to teach, so what would you like to know?"

Peach's eyes glazed over. There were so many things she wanted to know; what were the Zora like, and what happened to Mr. Link during his childhood, and…

"What will happen to me if we never find the portal back to the Mushroom Kingdom?"

Taken aback, Sheik quietly looked at her with a mixture of pity and understanding. "Are you…afraid?"

She looked at her hands, "Terribly. I've been here for weeks and there's been no word. Now I've learned that nobody's even looking anymore. I don't want to put anybody in danger but…"

"I'm sorry."

Peach sighed, "It's not your fault, I just have to come to grips with the possibility that…that I might never see my home or friends again." She bit her lip, trying not to cry.

Sheik nodded sagely; he remembered the feeling when he lost his body to infection, when his only chance for survival was to live within Zelda's body. Even as a Sheikah, trained to live in shadows and solitude, the alienation was cripplingly painful and he would spend his nights in trees crying, drinking, and wishing he had just let himself die.

"I think," he said softly, "you will see them again. I can tell from your essay that you love your land dearly, and I am sure they're missing you as well. It would be a shame to give up so easily. As…as part of my weekend training, I will search the Lost Woods for your portal home; that way, at least one person will always be looking."

"But won't it be dangerous?"

"Not for me," he smiled, "I spend a lot of time in those woods. I'm rather fond of them, actually. It would be no trouble."

Peach sniffled and threw her arms around Sheik, squeezing tightly. He stiffened, then melted.

"You are the kindest man in all of Hyrule," she muttered, releasing him to wipe away her tears.

Nobody ever hugged Princess Zelda, to do so would be a serious breach of etiquette, and thus he had never felt such a sensation. As a rule, Sheikah did not invade one another's personal space; even the bond between a mother and child was grounded not in physical intimacy but in respect and boundaries. Stunned, Sheik sat quietly, heart hammering inside his chest. One look at his bright red face brought Peach back to self-aware embarrassment.

"Right then…I won't give up hope because I know I can count on you. Still, since there's no way to know how long it'll be until we find the portal. I feel I must learn as much as I can about life in Hyrule…you know, just in case."

Sheik brightened, an idea forming rapidly in his mind. "Well, it's my duty to teach you, isn't it? Come, follow me, your lesson is about to begin."


	7. Chapter 7

"Please, try to relax."

"But we didn't have permission, Sheik," she hissed, "We _stole_ those horses."

The outdoor café milk bar was vibrant, teeming with conversation and the feel of city life. It was a perfect place to blend in with a crowd and learn about how Hyrulians live.

Sheik stretched out at the table, incredibly pleased with himself and his little scheme. "Don't worry, we will return the horses to their stables. We didn't steal them, we borrowed them. Besides you must admit this is a far more interesting venue for learning than the castle study."

"I..I guess…" Peach said, taking a deep breath. "Well, I suppose it's too late for regrets now," she rationalized.

"That's the spirit," Sheik laughed.

A wooden cart driven by a woman with bright red hair pulled next to the café. She pet the two horses pulling it fondly before beginning to unload heavy jugs from the back.

"A fresh delivery," explained Sheik. "This café has many regular customers, so the woman from Lon Lon Ranch has to make a delivery every day. Since the milk is always fresh, the café becomes even more popular. This might even be the most popular café in Castle Town." Sheik smiled at Peach, who was looking away at the milk cart; he had always wanted to come here with someone, and he couldn't have picked a lovelier someone to bring.

A young female server placed two mugs of steaming liquid on the table. "Here you are Miss, one mug of strawberry Lon Lon Milk, and for the handsome gentleman, one Zora cappuccino. Enjoy!" She let her eyes linger on Sheik before she sashayed away to serve another table.

After taking a sip, Peach giggled, "How is your coffee, Mr. Handsome Gentleman?"

Sheik rolled his eyes, "It's delicious."

"It's no wonder you must like this place so much. Do your drinks often come with a free cookie?" She gestured to the spiced biscuit on his saucer, noting that hers seemed conspicuously absent.

Sheik flushed, embarrassed, "I'm…not sure. In truth, I, uh, I don't get out much. It's yours if you'd like, I don't much care for sweets."

By now, a group of female servers had gathered around the bar, whispering, pointing, and giggling before the matronly owner shooed them off to do their jobs.

"You should ask her for her number," Peach joked.

"Her…number?" Sheik looked perplexed.

"Oh…right. What I mean to say is you should ask her for a date."

Sheik scoffed loudly, "First Zelda and now me; you sure are interested in other people's dating lives."

Peach's chin dropped and she went quiet for a moment. "Wait just a minute. What do you mean "first Zelda"? How do you know what I talked about with Princess Zelda?"

Sheik's blood went cold and his eyes widened. He'd slipped and been caught! He searched his brain frantically for an excuse.

"You…sneak! You were eavesdropping on us while we were playing croquet, weren't you?"

"Well I…"

"Guarding the princess or not, some conversations are meant to be private, you know! Oh, poor Zelda! No wonder she seemed so uncomfortable, she probably knew you were there and listening the whole time!"

Sheik laughed and sipped his cappuccino; crisis averted.

Peach folded her arms, pretending to be upset. "What's so funny? Don't think I'm letting you get away with this completely unacceptable spying!"

Sheik raised his hands in the air, as if to surrender, "No, you're correct, I must atone for this most heinous crime. Please, Milady, what can I do to earn your forgiveness?"

"Hmm," Peach threw him a playful glance, "Well, I just wonder what else you might have heard…"

Sheik raised his eyebrows, "Well, as you just found out, I hear nearly everything that's said in the castle," he playfully bragged, "Sheikahs are known as the guardians of truth, after all."

"Oh? And just what sort of interesting truths are you guarding?"

"Well," he leaned forward, lowering his voice slightly, "Zelda did know I was there and listening, but there was…another reason she didn't want to talk about the hero,"

He smirked, letting silence hang around them until Peach finally broke from anticipation. "Well, what was the reason?!"

He grinned beneath his cowl, "Does this mean you forgive me?"

She rolled her eyes in playful exasperation, "Yes, yes, I forgive you."

"Alright, then I'll turn this into a complete lesson. Years ago, the King passed away, assassinated by an evil man, leaving Zelda the only heir to the throne. However, this is the Kingdom of Hyrule, not the Queendom of Hyrule. There is, mildly put, a tremendous pressure on the castle to see Zelda wed and producing heirs of her own."

Sheik paused to shudder. The thought of Zelda wedded and producing heirs brought to mind all sorts of foreign intrusions into their shared body that he was not prepared to deal with.

"Understandably, Zelda is concerned with the loss of her royal authority. The burden is on her to find a suitable husband. To her, that means a husband that she can control from the background so she can maintain control over the kingdom."

"And is Mr. Link too stubborn for that?"

"Far from it, in almost every conceivable way Link would have been a perfect match. He is from a simple background with nearly no political knowledge, yet has the endorsement of the goddesses themselves, so no citizen could dare question the decision."

"So what's the matter?"

Sheik opened his mouth, but closed it quickly and looked over his shoulder at the other patrons in the café. He sighed, "I mustn't say, no matter how I believe it to be true, it is a grave insult to his manhood."

Peach's eyes widened at the word "manhood". She whispered, "Do you mean to say he needs, you know, medicine?"

Sheik frowned in confusion, "Medicine?"

"You know… _medicine_. For that." She placed her hand flat on the table and raised her index finger to the sky.

Sheik burst into a roar of laughter upon realizing what she was saying, startling everyone in the café. He laughed so hard tears started to form in his eyes.

"H-hey, it's no laughing matter! I hear it happens to a lot of young men and can be very traumatic!"

Sheik wiped the tears from his eyes and tried to catch his breath, then burst into laughter all over again.

"I'm afraid," he chuckled, "his is not a condition that's likely to be cured by any medicine."

"What do you mean by that?" Peach asked, her eyes betraying genuine worry for the hero.

Sheik sighed, "It's nothing to be concerned about. It is not a condition of the body but a condition of his heart. I believe he did love once, but…" Sheik trailed off, hanging his head.

"Sheik…"

"I couldn't. I couldn't convince him. He could not bring himself to…love differently. That is why…I believe that is why he left Hyrule."

Sheik looked at Peach, clutching her cup close to her lips and lamenting, "Oh, poor Mr. Link…"

He had never understood why the Hero of Time had chosen the path he had, why he made things so difficult for himself when the Goddesses had granted him their every favor. But now, sitting across the table from a love he was forbidden to pursue, slowly, he felt himself begin to understand.

* * *

"Sheik." Silvery midnight moonbeams scattered around Impa's silhouette in the doorway, blocking her nephew's path out of the castle. "I heard an interesting rumor today regarding two unfamiliar faces in Castle Town. I trust you heard this rumor too?"

"No," he muttered, pushing past her. He knew he was in trouble, but could not find a good reason to care. It was the best day he had experienced in…probably forever. He laughed harder and smiled brighter than he had ever done in recent memory.

She narrowed her eyes. "You're playing a dangerous game, boy."

He whipped around to face his aunt, feeling undersized in Zelda's slender body. "And just what's so dangerous about it? I left the castle. I took a horse. I had a conversation over coffee. I had one day during which I felt like a normal person, and it was probably the best day of my life. Tell me, what is so wrong with that?"

Impa smiled wryly, it hurt her to see her own flesh and blood lash out at her in his rage. That she could not have provided a better life for her sister's only son, that he was robbed at such a young age at the chance of being normal. However, being older and wiser, she knew and could read the affliction of affections on a young man, and realized the danger of disclosure.

"That's the trouble, my child. You will only long for more of it. You will long for a body of your own, a life of your own, and it will cause you to become greedy and careless. I will not tell Zelda of what I have seen today, but consider this your only warning from me." With that, she vanished from the doorway and into the shadows.

Sheik slammed his fist against the cold stone walls with tears in his eyes. How dare she speak as though she knew his mind? As though he had not, every day of his life, wished for nothing more than a body and life of his own. How could she stand there and call him family, when she had abandoned him to this body and left him half a man with no hope of a future? She had reduced him to nothing more than a tool, designed to conceal Zelda in her time of need.

But now, the need was over and his greatest fear was that Zelda would finally get fed up of sharing her body and exorcise his consciousness entirely. He already knew how it felt; every time Zelda connected with the Goddesses in her meditations, there was no room for him. His consciousness would be pushed and squeezed until it was completely overwhelmed and it nearly ceased to exist. When he would wake up hours later, he could only feel thankful that his consciousness had not been completely blinked out of existence.

He dropped to his knees in prayer, praying that the goddesses grant him more days like this one, a chance at happiness and half a normal life. He prayed, and then wrapped his arms around himself in a solitary, comfortless hug.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hi guys! I really need to get to work on the second book already. I think I have an outline ready to go, but stories always seem to morph when I get to the actual business of writing them down. What do you all want to see in this story? Any particular characters you love? Happy endings? Sad endings? A little of both? There's lots of story left to go, so enjoy!  
**

* * *

Twinrova patted her clothing and fixed her hair before sashaying into Ganondorf's chambers.

The King of Gerudos looked upon the sorceress with disgust and shook his head. "You cannot deceive me with that disguise. Do not think I've been sealed away so long as to forget the awful faces of my caretakers. Koume, Kotake, reveal your true selves."

Two sighs and a cloud of smoke turned the sexy, young sorceress into a pair of haggard, popeyed witches. "Well, you can't blame a girl for trying, Your Majesty."

"You always used to like that form when you were a teenager, Sire," said Koume, a hint of regret in her voice.

"Ugh, enough. Do not embarrass me; I am in no mood to talk of the past. I have called you here because I require your services."

"We are at your command, now and always."

"The Goddesses' hero has been a thorn in my side one time too many. This time, we must not make ourselves known until we have discovered his whereabouts and eliminated him."

"But Sire, if we kill the boy, another hero may rise to take his place, a reincarnation, My Lord."

"It has already happened so many times!" cried Kotake.

Ganondorf closed his eyes in frustration. "This is true. Still, while the hero lives, my legacy is challenged. We must find the boy and then we will decide how to proceed. He must be nullified. Go now and find him. Be discrete."

"Yes, My Lord."

* * *

Sheik hummed to himself as he prepared to enter the frigid tributary stream. Nearby, his cowl and exoskeleton stretched on the rocks to dry in the early morning sun. The Lost Woods was a perfect place to enjoy an outdoor bath, free from interruption from fishermen or most other curious onlookers.

Still, Sheik kept his binding wrapped tightly around his chest and wore compression shorts, even while bathing. It wasn't because the occasional Zora passing by particularly cared about nudity; it just felt wrong for Sheik to look down and see…those things; he could never get used to it and he didn't plan on trying.

The cold water was bracing, but it wasn't a shock. It felt refreshing after his long run in the woods. Of course, he had been keeping his promise to Peach to search the woods for more portals, but so far, he hadn't seen any. He sat on some rocks below the falls. Goddesses, he was tired. He groaned, letting the cold water push into his aching lower back.

Still, he smiled, thinking on what he would teach Peach today.

 _Perhaps she would accompany me to Kakariko and I could tell her about the mines._

Immediately, the image of Peach, twirling around and pointing to every house saying, "Oh, did Mr. Link live here? Did he live here? What about here?", popped into his mind. He tsked. Kakariko was out.

 _But she did say she wanted to go to Lake Hylia with the hero sometime. I wonder if she knows how to swim._

He grinned, that was it! Before the heat of the summer disappeared, he would take her to the lake and teach her how to swim! Of course, with Impa getting suspicious…teleportation would be the only way to leave the palace undetected…

Suddenly, he bolted upright. A painful stich tore across her lower abdomen and he cringed, clutching it with gritted teeth. A sudden stomach ache? He clutched his stomach again, reacting to another wave of nauseating pain. The sort of pain that was dull and sharp at the same time. He felt a strange sensation elsewhere on his person and leaned his head back and groaned in annoyance.

 _Ugh, not this. Not today._

He gently prodded the adipose tissue under his bindings and found it tender, lightly painful to the touch. He sighed, clearly exasperated. Once a month, Sheik faced this embarrassing "status effect", one that impeded training, perturbed his emotions, and most importantly made him feel terrible.

In the past, it hadn't been such an issue, but then he had never attempted to pass as a man while in such a state. Another painful cramp came, like a punch to the lower abdomen; a lesser man might have cried out. Instead, Sheik picked himself off his rock, muttering obscenities to himself while wading back to his clothes.

 _There's no way I can let Peach see me like this today. She's a woman, so she'd probably know what was going on right away._ He sighed. Let's say _I have…a cold…a flu…no, I can't have her trying to come visit me._

Another cramp as he pulled himself out onto the bank. _I have a stomach ailment. We'll leave it at that._

* * *

Released from her schooling, Peach found herself outside wandering aimlessly amid the green grasses and tall topiaries. The rich scent of hay carried on the warm wind, and she realized that she had unconsciously wandered back near the stables.

She blushed, remembering how only a few days ago, Sheik had helped her mount her horse. Her second-ever time riding one. Peach entered the stable, which apart from the horses, seemed to be empty.

Peach clasped her hands in front of her chest and squealed a little. These Hyrulian horses were just so glossy and pretty. They had deep, noble eyes and such regal countenance! Surely, such beings must have extreme intelligence, or complex emotional lives.

She peeked into one of the stalls and found a proud black mare inside. She looked up from chewing her hay and snorted at the intruder.

"Going for another ride?" A voice from the entrance of the stable caused her to jump.

Impa smirked and Peach blushed and stammered, "N-no…well, I just…I was only intending a visit."

Impa stared at her, silently, while Peach desperately scanned for a hint of emotion under Impa's stoic expression.

"Um, about the other day…"

Impa held up her hand to silence the princess. "Don't think I'm unaware of who the responsible party is."

Peach looked down, "He's not in trouble is he?"

"As his superior, I've issued him an unofficial warning."

"And as a family member? Are you angry with him?"

Impa smirked, "And just who told you that we're family?"

"I'm sorry, it's just that there aren't too many Sheikah left so I assumed…"

Impa sighed with uncharacteristic drama, tossing a wallet of rupees to Peach. "If you're so worried _about him_ , why don't you go into town and fetch some medicine? I trust you have some free time today."

"Yes, of course! I can go right away," said Peach, beaming at the opportunity to help.

"A red potion ought to ease his pains. You may use whatever remains to purchase something for yourself. However; a word of caution: I'm sure you're aware, but not every citizen of Hyrule is an upstanding member of our community. Please be aware of your surroundings and guard your purse. In addition, as inexperienced as you are, it would be too dangerous for you to go alone on horseback, so you'll have to go on foot. I shall alert the castle guard of your departure. That said, feel free to take your time and explore Castle Town; Sheik won't need another dose of medicine until just before sundown."

"Yes, Lady Impa, I understand. I'll be careful. Thank you so much."

Impa watched the princess run toward the castle gate, the noisy jingle of her rupee wallet following her away. "Have fun," she murmured to the vanishing silhouette.

* * *

Never in her life had Peach been so anonymous than in the bustling streets of Castle Town; nary a citizen knew she was in fact, a princess, nor did they even suspect she was the much gossiped about "mystery guest" residing at Hyrule Castle. Instead, she was Peach, pretty but ordinary, likely a wealthy merchant's daughter gathering groceries for the evening meal.

The streets were busy and breathtaking, with shops and stalls lining every street and alley. But she was not there to explore, not yet; Sheik needed her help. She stowed her wallet of rupees safely inside the top of her dress, where it would be difficult for a thief to reach without grabbing her…attention.

She wandered down the newly paved roads, admiring the granite work. It must have taken stonemasons countless hours to make a road so fine, and they seemed to span every corner of the city. Unbeknownst to Peach, underneath the roads was an even more impressive sewer system that connected to every house and shop. The buildings were stacked close to one another, but the layout of the city designed with safety in mind; many buildings were made of sparkling white granite to protect against threat of fire and provide more safe havens in case of invasion.

Peach rounded one more corner and was confronted with the colorful, crowded, cacophonic pandemonium that was the main Hyrule Market. A teeming throng of people pushed through the packed streets as merchants cried their wares from underneath their open-air stalls.

"Fresh fish! Caught in the wild this morning without harmful lures!"

"Come get your Gorman Brothers' milk! 100% superior to Lon Lon Milk!"

"Try the tastiest apples in all Hyrule; you'll find none sweeter!"

As soon as Peach stepped into the river of shoppers, she was carried downstream; pushed and shoved out of the way, travelling aimlessly through the crowd, scanning for any sign of a pharmacy or apothecary.

Her eyes glossed over a bakery, selling loaves of fragrant breads and pastries made from the last stone fruits of summer.

To her left was a striped fireworks stand, selling smoke bombs, sparklers, and other pyrotechnic delights to the children of Hyrule.

On the right was a strange, bent-over fellow in a purple suit with a large pack all covered in masks of varying levels of…disturbing. His squinted eyes looked right though her as he rubbed his slender hands together, seemingly talking to himself.

As Peach crossed the street to avoid the Happy Mask Salesman, she came across a dark, foreboding tent, draped with thick, black panels and an aura of enchantment. There was no sign above the tent, but a powerful feeling told her she had finally found the right place.

She pushed aside several layers of black and purple draping to enter the tent. The little silver bells on the end of the drapes tinkled, heralding her arrival. The interior of the tent smelled strongly of greasy medicinal herbs and was hot and muggy. A skeletal old woman in midnight blue robes stirred thick green goop in a cauldron behind the counter.

Peach cleared her throat, only to inhale a mouthful of oily air. She coughed loudly. "Hello, excuse me, I'd like one red potion please."

The old crone narrowed her sagging eyes. This was certainly not one of her regulars; by the looks of her silken garb, she had plenty of money to spend.

"Did you bring a bottle?" she croaked.

Peach stammered, "What? N-no, I didn't…" She looked at the menacing eyes of the glowing spirits on the shelves of the tent, each one trapped in an identical cylindrical, corked glass bottle.

The old lady clucked, "An extra surcharge…glass bottles don't come cheaply these days…" She dipped a glass bottle into a glowing red substance in the bottom of another cauldron and presented it to Peach. "120 rupees."

Peach widened her eyes _. Sheik must be in terrible pain to necessitate such an expensive potion!_ She reached for her purse and prepared to pay when she saw another customer out the corner of her eye. He quickly looked away and refused to make eye contact. Peach lightened as a realization crossed her mind.

"Hmm…that's funny, a friend of mine told me just last week he bought a red potion for just 60 rupees…"

"Absurd! He was lying!" the old witch shot back.

"Oh really? Perhaps he found a better deal at some other apothecary…" Peach trailed off. The witch went red in the face and then the haggling match was on.

Minutes later, Peach walked away from the stall beaming happily with a potion in hand and plenty of rupees still jingling in her purse.

She pressed the potion bottle closely to her chest, infusing the brew with heartfelt good wishes. She stopped when she felt a pair of eyes on her. Slowly, she turned her head up, to the housing above the street level shops, and made eye contact with a good-looking young man, no older than sixteen, who had been leaning out his window to stare at her. She grinned and waved at him, and he smiled, waving back before ducking back into his home in bashful excitement.

Free to explore, Peach fluttered gracefully from stall to stall, admiring all the trinkets and trying to decide if there was anything she needed. There were countless stands with glittering accessories, including face jewels, a burgeoning trend for newly wealthy women in Hyrule.

Peach briefly stopped to consider some before she heard a cry cut across the marketplace, "Tingle, Tingle Kooloo-limpah! Buy the finest maps in all of Hyrule!"

The commotion came from a bright green wagon covered in huge, primary colored balloons. The owner of the wagon was a tiny man dressed in a green unitard with red underpants over the top. He wore a comically large clock around his neck and threw confetti about as he danced and shouted.

Curious, Peach made her way over to the stall, "Excuse me, did you say you have maps of Hyrule?"

 _If I can get a map of the Lost Woods from this cartographer, I can give it to Sheik when he gets better. Maybe it would help…_

"Yes, you there, the luscious lady in pink; would you care to buy a map from Tingle? Did he mention, he's also single…" Tingle wiggled his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

Peach backed up slightly, "Oh, um, just the map please, if you have a map of the Lost Woods?"

Tingle's sunny disposition vanished in a flash; his eyebrows went flat in annoyance, "Are you playing a joke on poor Tingle?"

"No, sir. It's very important, you see—"

Tingle shrieked and withdrew a sheet of paper from underneath his cart. "You want a map of the Lost Woods? Let Tingle give you one for free!"

He brandished his ink and quill, writing with violent slashes. "To the north: Woods. To the south: Woods. To the east: Woods. To the west: Woods." He shook the paper in her face, "Do you think if Tingle could navigate the Lost Woods he would be stuck helping his father run this awful map business? NO! Tingle would be with the other forest fairies in his true home! The reason for the name 'Lost Woods' is this: Go into the woods; get lost! Get lost!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just assumed…"

"Assumed? Assumed?! Assuming makes an "ass" out of "u" and "me"! Away with you! You have no business here, taunting poor Tingle. Get lost!" Peach barely turned in time to avoid a handful of confetti headed straight for her face. She quickly scrambled away from the stall, angry Tingle throwing globs of confetti at her back.

Embarrassed by the commotion, she continued moving until she was all the way out of the market bazaar and found herself in front of Lon Lon Café, in Castle Town's Main Square, where she stopped to catch her breath and plucked a chunk of confetti out of her hair. She looked at the clock tower in the middle of the plaza: Quarter 'till noon.

Shielding her eyes against the harsh sunlight reflecting off the Goddess' Fountain in the middle of the plaza, she walked over and dipped her fingertips into the cool, clean water. At the bottom of the basin, a multitude of glittering rupees caught her eye, mostly green, with some blue mixed in, and a very rare red.

Parallel to her, on the other side of the circular fountain, an aged man extended his own shaking hand into the water, frantically grasping at the small treasure that lay beneath the surface. He was nearly naked, and through the numerous holes in the tattered, dirty garments, she could see his emaciated body, curled with age and hollowed with hunger. Peach gasped at the sight of him.

Almost immediately, the town guard fell upon the old beggar, hauling him away from the fountain. "What do you think you're doing there," one demanded, "There's a severe penalty for those who would steal from the goddess."

"Or the state." The other stated. They released the man from their grasp where he fell to his knees. The rupees he had collected in his tunic spilled all over the tiles of the plaza, glittering in the sun. The desperate man reached out to scavenge as many as he could before the officer rolled his eyes and prodded the man with his steel armored boot.

"Move along, you're obstructing traffic and disturbing the women and children."

The quivering man turned his clouded eyes toward the voice of the officers and felt around for something to help him stand. Unfortunately, all he found was the boot of the second officer, who jumped back in surprise, all but kicking the elderly man away from his feet. The man fell again, painting the plaza floor with fresh blood from his skinned knees.

"Listen well, we'll not tell you again…Get moving or suffer the consequences."

The other citizens in the plaza averted their eyes…just another painful reminder of the perils of poverty.

Peach shut her eyes tight; she couldn't possibly stand to see any more. She'd never seen anything like this in the Mushroom Kingdom, and it was just awful. "Please! Stop!"

The two guards looked up to see a well-dressed young woman rushing toward them. Peach put herself between the two guards and the old man. "Can't you see? He's old and he's hurt…"

The guards crossed their arms, "And what is this matter to you?"

Peach shook her head and brushed her hair behind her ear, "I cannot stand idly by while a citizen is treated so. It's not right! Whatever his crime, surely it cannot be so bad…"

The older guard scoffed, "And what would you know of Castle Town laws? I don't think I've ever seen you around here before, and I'd definitely remember a pretty little face like yours."

The younger guard smirked, "Yeah, girls like you should go getting into other people's business. You could get into trouble…"

Peach stamped her foot on the ground, "That's-that's inappropriate! You have no right to treat your citizenry this way!"

"Yeah? And what exactly do you plan on doing about it?" leered the older guard, threateningly.

Peach pursed her lips defiantly, looking up again at Hyrule Plaza's clock tower. "I'm willing to bet Lady Impa probably knows exactly who's stationed in this plaza around this time…I'm sure she'd be horrified to know her men were using excessive force in policing the citizenry and engaging in sexual harassment of the women of Hyrule. You should be asha—"

Peach gasped as the younger guard grabbed her wrist and lifted his hand as if to strike her. Quickly, a well-dressed young man from the café rushed over to intervene, holding the guard's hand to prevent him from harming Peach.

"Lo, officer! Still your hand, sir, I beg you!"

"Stay out of this!" roared the guard, though he lowered his hand. "Unless you'd all like a trip to the stocks."

"Good officer, it is not my intention to disrupt the course of justice. But do look with fresh eyes and see that this is a noble lady before you."

"She is not a lady who would speak with such a tongue, rather a painted harlot!"

Peach opened her mouth to protest, but the nobleman held out his hand. "Sir, with my respect, there is no cause to sully this maiden's reputation with such odious slander. Look you again; she is a woman. Such fair creatures, designed in the Goddesses' own image, are drawn to divinity and thus are easily disturbed by scenes of a graphic nature. It is only natural she is so perturbed given what hath taken place with that beggar man. Thus, I urge you, be not vexed by this woman, 'tis unmanly."

Both Peach and the guards frowned at the nobleman, albeit for different reasons. Eventually, the guards turned their back, growling about the citizenry knowing their place. Peach breathed a sign of relief, and caught the nobleman smiling at her. Reluctantly, she turned to thank him.

"Are you quite alright?" he asked, offering her his handkerchief.

"I'm fine," she sighed, ignoring the piece of fabric between his fingers, "Did you happen to see where that old man went? He's in urgent need of care."

The nobleman chuckled, brushing his soft brown hair away from his bright blue eyes, "You're a strange girl, you know? While we were exchanging words with those guards, it seems our mutual friend went to go refresh himself near the inn."

Peach turned to leave, "Thank you…for your help."

"It was my pleasure. I have a feeling we shall meet again; I hope then I'll be able to make your acquaintance at last."

"Y-yeah, next time. Thank you again," Peach called over her shoulder.

She found the man in an alleyway next to the inn, slumped against the wall with his eyes closed, bruised and barely breathing.

"Excuse me," she called. There was no answer. "Excuse me."

Peach felt a lump of panic in her throat; what if the man was dying before her very eyes? With some hesitation, she reached her hand out toward the man and tapped his shoulder. "Excuse me," she called a little louder. Citizens on the street turned to look, with expressions of mixed puzzlement, concern, and disgust. What business could a woman of any decent breeding have with an old beggar man in an alleyway?

The beggar cracked open his eyelids, but his cloudy eyes couldn't see her face so he reached toward the sound of her voice. Peach dug within her garments and removed her purse. She placed it firmly in his outstretched, shaking hand. "Please…take this purse into the inn and see that you get yourself a hot meal, a warm bath, and a place to lodge for the night."

She helped the beggar to stand on his thin, frail legs, but before he shambled off to fill his hollow belly, he pressed something warm and jagged into her palm, mumbling incoherently.

When he was gone, Peach looked down to find a grimy coin in her hand. It was made of a hard golden alloy and looked as though it had been snapped in half. It was still warm from the broken man's body heat.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hi guys! Guess what? I finally started on Book 2 (took me all Summer to build up the motivation) and it's looking pretty good so far. I don't want to give anything away though, so that's all I'm going to say on the matter.**

 **I hope you'll forgive me, this is a pretty sparse chapter. There was a long time while I was writing this story where I was under-writing so hard, everything sounded to me like it was coming from cardboard cutouts in a dark hallway. It got really discouraging, so I stopped writing altogether because I couldn't abide editing stuff that was so awful O_O.**

 **Hopefully this is a touch better than all that; I'm not good at adding trivial details that didn't make it into the first draft. I figure if I didn't care about writing it, you don't care about reading it, lol. Anyhow, please enjoy or at least tolerate this chapter! Thanks, as always, for your reviews and support!  
**

* * *

"Thank you for returning with the potion, I'm sure Sheik will be most grateful," Impa smiled as she received the red bottle from Peach.

"It was no trouble, I just wish there were more I could do. Is he feeling any better?"

"I'm sure he's resting by now," Impa lied, "But there's no need to worry yourself. Come, follow me inside, I have something to show you."

Peach followed Impa up the castle steps, unsure if she should feel more curious or worried.

The Sheikah pushed open a thick wooden door to reveal a room draped with fabric bunting flags, pinwheels, and other pretty decorations. Zelda sat at a table with a preposterous cone hat upon her head. She flashed a rare smile as she stepped over to hand matching hats to Peach and Impa.

"You mentioned an important day was coming up so…happy birthday, Peach."

A giddy blush crept over Peach's cheeks, "Oh! Zelda, Impa! You're too kind; this is a wonderful surprise!"

Zelda looked at Peach softly, "I know it's not the same as being back in your own lands with a grand celebration like I'm sure you're accustomed to, but..."

Impa chimed in, "We hope you had a wonderful time in Hyrule Market today. I think I speak for the entire castle when I say that your presence here has made everyone…cheerier."

Peach was so delighted and embarrassed that she thought she might burst. True, she missed her homeland, but it was just so wonderful to be celebrated and complimented by the normally cold Zelda and her intimidating guardian.

"Ah yes, we have a small cake for you, and tea as well, if you'd care to join us," Zelda offered, pulling out a chair for the guest of honor. Peach eagerly sat, though for a brief moment regretted that Sheik couldn't be here to celebrate with her as well.

However, unbeknownst to her, Sheik was there, just silent and numbed thanks to the red potion. He could process about half as much information as normal in such a state, but he leaned in and tried as best he could to participate on some level.

Impa distributed tiny porcelain plates and demitasse cups while Zelda continued the conversation. "How do they celebrate birthdays in your kingdom, Peach? Are there many special rituals?"

Peach looked dreamy for a second. "It's actually a lot like this. Close friends gather with cake and decorations, sometimes presents. On my birthday, my citizens often hold a festival in my honor, and I usually give a speech…"

Zelda laughed, "Well then, let us have a speech as well."

Peach blushed, "Well I…"

Zelda and Impa sat upright in their seats, as if waiting to receive her speech. Sheik "sat upright" as well, though groggily, and almost immediately blacked out of consciousness afterward.

Peach stood and took a deep breath, preparing to address her "subjects":

"My most gracious citizens of Hyrule, I humbly thank you for your hospitality and hope you will allow me to continue to be in your service as I enter another year.

I stand before you in awe of the triumphant kingdom you have built. As we forge our bonds of companionship ever stronger, I say as a ruler and as a friend, I am proud of what has been accomplished, and I look forward to an even brighter future.

Let us take a moment to remember as individuals and as a kingdom, our greatest export is our kindness; our most precious resource, our compassion, and our national treasure is freedom for all who wish to live in harmonious peace. Thank you."

Impa and Zelda both raised their teacups as if to toast her speech, and then clapped politely.

Suddenly, the sound of several guards shouting came echoing from downstairs. Phrases like, "I'll get you this time" and "get back here you little brats" carried over the general cacophony of footsteps and clattering armor.

Impa jumped up quickly, and then rolled her eyes. She shook her head, "It seems I may be needed elsewhere in the castle. Please do not let my absence abbreviate your celebrations. Milady, I take my leave."

Peach smiled, "Goodbye Impa, thank you again for all the nice surprises."

The door closed and the party was down to two. Plus one semi-conscious one, floating in and out of general lucidity. Silence fell over the room.

"Peach…" Zelda spoke in a hushed voice, "Do you truly like it here…in Hyrule?"

Peach sighed, but with a smile, "I do miss my home. Hyrule is so different but, it has many charms and if I…if I could never go back, I think I could learn to live here."

Zelda wrung her hands, unsure how to phrase such a delicate matter. "Well, as you know, unsafe conditions have…put a halt on our search in the Lost Woods."

"Yes, I know." _But Sheik promised me he would keep looking, even if nobody else would._

"And, if your residence in Hyrule were to become more permanent…we couldn't very well have you live at the castle indefinitely…That is to say, I'm sure you'd want your own place to live out a regular citizen's life."

"Oh, yes I suppose you're right; I hadn't considered that..."

"Don't worry, the coins you brought from your land are made of solid gold. Surely those would fetch you enough rupees to buy a large manor and spend your days how you will. And of course, Impa and I would not send you off unprepared."

"Of course, I know I'm in very good hands, and we'll always be friends!"

Zelda looked at her hands, "Yes, though there are very few occasions to allow visitors to the castle. Given that we barely see one another while we reside in the same palace, once you were to take residence somewhere else…it's highly likely we'll not see each other…" _Ever again._

"Oh, I understand…" Peach grimaced slightly, trying to hide her disappointment. A few short minutes ago, they were having a cheery birthday celebration as close friends might. Now, Zelda was implying they might not see each other ever again. In many ways, it felt like a breakup talk. A platonic breakup.

Zelda tried to brighten upon seeing the disappointment in Peach's face. She knew this talk would be hard, but never imagined how hard. She mentally chastised herself for not planning a better time to bring about this topic.

"Well, I will say that Hyrulian winters can be…quite unforgiving. We would never imagine turning you out into one of those, so you're welcome to reside in Hyrule Castle until the frost melts in the spring. After that, Impa and I will make sure you're as comfortable as possible and…well, perhaps a portal back to your land will appear before then and this discussion will be rendered unnecessary."

Peach smiled, but with a measure of sorrow in her heart. "You have been so kind and generous, thank you so much for all of this, and for everything."

Zelda rummaged under her seat to reveal a treasure chest shaped box covered with red damask fabric. "Here, one last present. I'm glad we could spend this time together."

Peach held the box in silence as Zelda retreated out of the door, leaving her all alone in a brightly decorated room, wearing a shiny party hat and a fresh tear on her cheek.

* * *

The Hero of Time's heart burned in his chest; he panted, so constricted. His legs became shorter with each step as he ran from the fearsome undead at his back, their hungry soulless eyes waiting to paralyze and devour his flesh.

Cold sweats ran down his spine as he heard the shill shriek of a Redead discovering some fresh prey-him. A bloodstained hand burst forth from the black earth and grabbed his face, covering his body in rotten slime, the unimaginably putrid smell burning his nostrils. He tried to scream but gooey sludge filled his mouth. He gagged and coughed as several gaping, undead mouths closed in…

His eyes shot open and his body upright as he realized he was screaming into the darkness. He felt a firm hand upon his sweat-drenched sternum.

"You were having that dream again, weren't you?"

Link nodded his head and fought back tears.

"Shh, everything will be alright; those monsters do not exist in my land. Please…try to relax and I shall go to make you some comforting tea," cooed the accented voice beside him.

The figure made to stand up but Link attached himself, shaking his head, silently begging not to be left alone.

"Very well then," his companion yawned. "I will stay here. I don't suppose you will be able to sleep any time soon?"

Link shook his head apologetically.

A yawn and a sigh, "No matter. Perhaps in the meantime, then, you would be so kind as to tell me about the windmills in your land again. I would very much like to see the windmills some day…"

* * *

Sheik awoke feeling groggy, a slight pain in his head and in his abdomen. Through blurred "vision", he could sense Zelda was still asleep and he had possession of the body.

He rubbed his eyes; what in the world happened to him last night? He reached for the red potion left on the nightstand and a realization dawned on him. The red potion…it nearly shut out his consciousness!

He grimaced. It probably wasn't strong enough to snuff him out entirely but he wanted to make sure he was entirely present for today. Today was special.

Suddenly, a dangerous thought came over him; a horrible, despicable, absolutely _wonderful_ thought. If the red potion could shut out his consciousness while Zelda inhabited the body, then maybe he could have just a bit more time…alone. Without interruption.

He slammed the bottle down. What a terrible thing to even think! Zelda was gracious enough to share her body with his useless consciousness and he would show his gratitude by scheming to shut her out?

Still, when he closed his eyes, he couldn't help but imagine the things he dared not imagine. A smile, tinkling laughter, a light touch against his cheek, and delicate hands playing with his hair. The intense longing was so awful it ached worse than any physical pain.

He guiltily slipped the red potion into his cowl, and dashed outside to begin his preparations.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Fluff and Plot! Fluff and Plot! *Cheerleader Link***

 **A very happy Friday and a happy Halloween to you all! Does anyone have any cool plans for Halloween? Tonight, I'm making chocolate chipotle chili and hoping for rain; tomorrow, who knows. Maybe I'll write something, ha ha. Anyhow, please enjoy the latest chapter, preferably with a mug of your hot beverage of choice! Thanks for reading!  
**

* * *

His breath hastened as she neared the golden goddess harp sparkling on the castle rooftop patio. He hadn't expected her to come up here looking so forlorn; her glossy pink lips were downturned and she appeared to be lost in thought. She brushed back the hair the wind was determined to blow in her face, frowned, and picked up the gilded instrument, taking a second to admire the beautiful artisanship.

She chanced a pluck a one of the strings. A clear note rang out, cutting through the silence before being carried away by the wind. Slowly she plucked, one note at a time, an uneven and lonely rendition of Happy Birthday. She sighed and looked at the late afternoon sun.

He clapped slowly, emerging from the shadows from behind her. "Not bad, for your first time…"

Peach jumped and spun around, "Sheik? Oh, Sheik, you're okay!" Her face brightened and she threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. "I was so worried!"

Sheik hid his blush under his cowl. "Well I…wouldn't want to miss your special day," he said, tossing his hair casually. "So, are you ready to go?"

"Go?" Peach cocked her head quizzically, "Go where?"

He smirked.

"Do you mean outside the castle? A-Are you sure you should be traveling in your condition? I mean, won't you get in trouble again?"

Sheik laughed, "Don't look so alarmed; I'm fine and nobody will ever know we were gone. I have a plan this time; we're going to use that harp to teleport again."

Peach looked down at the harp in her hands, almost turning green at the thought. "We are?"

Sheik smiled kindly, wrapping one arm around her shoulders as he took the harp from her with his other his other hand. "Don't worry, just hold on tightly and bury your face in my cowl and we'll be there before you know it."

With a deep blush, Peach positioned her feet between his, pressing her body fully against his, arms around his slender waist clenching her hands at his back, her eyes squeezed shut, face fully buried in the crook of his neck, nestling into his soft white cowl. It smelled vaguely green, like fresh water and moss.

"Ready?" he whispered into her ear.

She jerked her head in a nod, tightly bracing herself for that awful lurch. She waited for what felt like an eternity, her heart pounding in her ears. She waited, and waited, until she felt her grip loosen on the back of his shirt and she lifted her head in confusion.

"What are we waiting f—" Peach stopped; all around her was the scenery of beautiful Lake Hylia, surrounded by falling leaves and resplendent with sparkling gold reflections. Peach jumped back from him with a soft "waah".

"Y-you! Why didn't you tell me we were already here?"

Heh, sorry. Guess I forgot to mention it," Sheik grinned, "You're really scared of teleporting, aren't you?"

Peach folded her arms, cheeks still on fire, "Well…can you blame me? Last time wasn't a very enjoyable experience."

"And this time it was, right?" he laughed. It would have been ungentlemanly to tell her just how long she had been standing there, holding on to him next to the sunset lake, but he had certainly enjoyed every second of it.

She lightly shoved his arm in protest, "Well, I'm glad to see you're obviously feeling better," she paused, "I was worried for you…"

"Sorry," Sheik rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously; "I heard you went all the way into town to fetch a red potion for me…"

"It was no trouble, I saw a lot of things while I was out; Hyrule Castle Town is amazing. It would be difficult but I think…I think I could get used to living there, you know…when I can't stay at the castle anymore."

Sheik furrowed his brows, "What do you mean live in Hyrule? What about your kingdom?"

Peach sighed and flopped down on the grass, "I'm not giving up on going home but…I won't be able to be a guest at the castle forever."

Tears began to well in her eyes; her voice shook slightly, "Zelda said…after winter…" She trailed off, the rest too sad to say aloud.

"Peach…" he whispered bending down to sit next to her on the soft grass, "Hey…don't cry. It is said if you cry on your birthday, you will cry all year long."

He reached out to stroke her hair; gently guiding her head back to its resting place in his cowl. Peach allowed herself to lean on him, too sad to be embarrassed anymore. Sheik smiled, her beautiful warmth enveloping his body once more. He leaned his chin on the top of her head and wrapped his arm across her, positioning his harp to play.

A beautiful melody filled the area and married perfectly with the sound of the wind rustling through the grass and the frogs playing by the banks of the lake. The sound was tender and melancholy, warm but lonely. Peach stopped crying, and opened her eyes to take in the beauty of the moment.

 _It is hard to recall when I first knew I was in love with you, but when I'm with you, time stops, obligations are lifted, I am no longer me and you are not you. I've never felt this way about anyone before. This is who I am._

Sheik paused his song, and Peach looked up at him with shining eyes.

"Ah yes," he said softly, "I almost forgot about your present."

"A present?"

Sheik nodded. "Cover your eyes," he whispered. She complied as he rose noiselessly, retreating to the bush that concealed his gift.

Upon his return, he gently placed his hands upon hers and moved them away from her eyes. "You can look now."

Down in the grass, a long shining piece of wood curved delicately through the grass, a string drawn tight between each end. Next to it, a quiver of arrows with angelic white fletching at the ends.

Peach looked at the weapon plainly, "Oh! It's…it's a bow, right?" She tried to smile but Sheik could spot the insincerity easily.

"Heh, that's right. No need to sound so disappointed, Princess," he joked, trying not to sound disappointed himself. He wished he hadn't broken away from Peach for this and instead had just continued to play harp with her by his side for as long as he had fingers left to play.

"No no, I'm not disappointed! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound ungrateful. It's just that I've never used a weapon before…well, not a real one."

Sheik raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean 'not a real one'?"

"Well I've been known to be quite a force with a parasol and a frying pan," she replied in a mock boasting tone.

"Hmm, unsuitable weaponry like that is more a hazard to the wielder than the opponent." He took her wrist between his bandaged fingers for emphasis.

"I don't expect a delicate woman like you would do much damage by swinging around some blunt instrument like a caveman. But this," he grazed the bow with his fingertips, "This is civilized."

Peach sighed, the bow was beautiful, its artisanship was clear in every detail, but she could hardly consider any weapon truly…civilized. "It's beautiful."

Sheik stood up, grasping the bow and arrows in his hands. He slung the quiver over his back and drew out one arrow, slender and straight. "It's easy to use as well." He readied his stance and placed the arrow against the string slowly, so Peach could get a good look at the placement.

"You just place the arrow…pull the string back…" His slender biceps tightened against his clothes as he pulled the string back and waited, to fully demonstrate the correct posture. In one fluid flash of movement, he whirled around and shot the arrow directly at the setting sun. The arrow disappeared into the sky.

Peach clapped politely at the end of the demonstration and Sheik sat down beside her, handing her the bow. She traced her fingers over the decorations in the wood, silence passing over them.

"Sometimes…" Sheik said to the ground, "I wish I could blot out the sun and live in a world of shadows…"

Peach looked up at him with troubled blue eyes, "What do you mean? Why would you want to live in a world of perpetual night? A world without any hope or any light?"

Sheik looked hard at the sliver of sun disappearing behind the mountains on the horizon. "There can be no shadows without the light; they gather to praise the moon at night. The moon and her shadow dance eternal; 'round and around the Waltz Nocturnal. Across the sky in a love-struck trace; 'till the Sun comes up to end their dance."

He turned to Peach, his crimson eyes burning with intensity, "I can't expect you to understand, but…I don't want you to fear the shadows. The darkness doesn't cause the evil in sentient hearts, it only reveals the truth of what was there all along. The night tells important truths that the day could never face; it allows people to transform into what they are."

He plucked a fallen leaf from the top of her hair, gently smoothing down the flyaway strands, "The moon is white, pure, and radiant; her light gives shadows strength and in return, the shadows move to cloak the moon, giving her sweet repose, her twinkling subjects standing guard. Again, I can't expect you to understand, but I think if you learned to lo—well, I think it could be the same for you."

Peach stared back at him, her gaze held captive by his until he finally looked away.

"Let's get you back," he sighed.

Peach nodded in agreement. She took hold of Sheik much more easily this time, placing her arms around him in a gentle but tight embrace, her cheek nuzzled firmly against his warm neck as she burrowed her face into his cowl. When they materialized, she let go a little slower than she should have.

"Sheik…thank you," she murmured, voice muffled in fabric.

Sheik blushed and smirked invisibly behind his cowl, "It was nothing; perhaps if it pleases you, for your next lesson I should teach you how to use that bow. It is important for a lady to be able to defend herself if the need arises."

Peach looked at the bow in her hand, unsure of how she felt about weapons. However, it would be rude to refuse to use such an extraordinarily crafted gift, so she smiled at the Sheikah and nodded. "That sounds nice."

Sheik looked down solemnly, "I must take my leave but…before I go…"

He scooped her cheek in his hand and looked directly in her bright blue eyes, "Please don't fret; I swear I will continue looking for your portal back home every opportunity I am able. I will not stop until I have scoured every last corner of those woods."

Peach blushed, demurely averting her eyes from his intense gaze, "I'm so glad you were the one who found me," she whispered, "Thank you…thank you for everything."

* * *

Zelda opened her eyes to pitch darkness and a slight throbbing in her head. She could tell Sheik was already sleeping soundly and she had control over the body. It must have been later than normal, for the air of the castle was completely still.

She sighed, dragging her weary body out of bed. She lit her usual lavender pillar candle and placed it on the floor beside a tome so large she dared not put it on her fragile wooden desk for fear the physical weight of its ancient text might reduce it to splinters.

She closed her eyes and pressed her fingertips lightly against her eyelids. There were too many of these: late nights, ancient books, candles burnt down to useless pucks of stale wax. _I am pushing myself too hard,_ she thought to no one in particular.

She stretched her hands above her head and brought them down together in a prayer over her heart, silencing her thoughts and focusing her energy. Still, her restless mind tried to sneak out from under her.

She sighed, there was no choice for her; this was her fate as the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom. The Triforce would seek the Triforce, no matter the costs to the bearer. _This must be why Link left…_

Her expression drew grim. In her heart, she knew he was gone. With two thirds of the Triforce lost, scattered among the hills and valleys of Hyrule…

 _And the people are growing anxious, Impa has said as much._ She glared at the flame, feeling her own youth slowly burn away into the ether like wax pooled beneath the orange reflection. One way or another, she would be made a sacrifice, if not to the altar of time, than to the whims of her people.

Perhaps there was still a chance to live a happy life and to bring her kingdom prosperity as well. She could marry; have an heir or perhaps a young daughter. She imagined building a summer home in a vast field of lavender flowers, spending long afternoons frolicking and teaching her daughter about wild herbs, spell crafting, and ancient stories. Impa would be there to protect her and she would have a family again.

She shook her head; it would do no good to ponder idle fantasies while the Triforce still lay undiscovered, ripe to fall into evil hands.

 _Still, the citizens crave stability and the certainty of royal linage. I am the last of my line; if anything were to happen to me…_

She sighed, Impa was right. In the long term, it would be a better strategy to announce her availability sooner than later; it would give her more opportunity to select a mate…to select the future king of Hyrule. More time to produce heirs to the throne.

 _Perhaps…the Festival of Storms…but it's so soon._

She sighed again and opened the book. She had no choice.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Happy December! This chapter is actually one of my personal favorites, so I hope you enjoy too.**

* * *

It was dawn and Hyrule Field was shrouded in the thick fog swirling over the tender grasses under Sheik's feet. A light drizzle fell from the ominous sky and his eyes darted from horizon to horizon. He immediately recognized the Hylian Battalion, checking each other's armor and testing the strength of their spears. Something in his mind told him _these men are all dead._

The air was thick with fear and anticipation, no soldier could be sure who he might face on the battlefield, the Fierce War had turned man upon master and brother against brother.

The only face undisturbed was the young one shrouded in the leaves of a nearby tree. Sheik shook his head as the young man, no older than fourteen, strapped a kunai to the side of his leg. "Little fool," he muttered, "You're dead too now."

The enemy arrived on the horizon and the first arrow plunged through the heart of its target before the horn had finished echoing over the hills. The battle was fierce and dirty, horses kicked up mud and warriors spilled fresh, steaming blood over the grass and muck of the torn up field.

Sheik walked though the chaos, a ghost amidst the violence. Whole views were blocked out, erased into fog by the passage of time. Sheik was indifferent to those views he could no longer remember, what could be behind those sheets of fog besides more of the same? A throat slit here, a bloody sword there; a fresh crop of new corpses, the Guays would be feeding on their exposed innards before the sun hit high noon.

Sheik turned away only to be faced with the latest one, the youngest one. He suddenly felt sick. How determined the boy seemed, unflappable. The pride was evident in those burning red eyes and he took his enemies by surprise, time and time again pulling his victims into the shadows to meet their bloody fates. He could hear the boy think: _Let the rest of these foolish Hylians die like dogs in the mud and squalor, true victory belongs to…_

He never finished that thought. The suit of armor behind him slid the boy off the end of his sword, then charged in the opposite direction to continue his killing frenzy, only to be cut down immediately by another faceless suit of armor in a similar bloodlust.

Sheik kneeled down next to the boy in the midst of all this chaos. He stroked the boy's face, even though he knew the boy could feel nothing but the writhing pain caused by his hemorrhaging wounds. He felt physically ill as he remembered the pain, clutching the pit of his stomach, he sat all the way down next to the boy. "Foolish child, victory belongs to those who learn to watch their own backs. So basic…"

Thick droplets of rain splashed and washed some of the flecks of mud off the boy's face. By now, most of the soldiers were dead or injured, the armies on both sides falling back in retreat. The boy didn't have the strength to call out for help, to indicate he was still alive. Even if he could, it was just as likely an enemy soldier would opt to finish the job by sticking a spear through his skull, so he stayed silent, muffling his painful sobs.

Sheik sat by the boy, occasionally glancing at passing infantrymen, looting the dead and occasionally hoisting a wounded survivor into a cart to be returned for medical treatment. Nobody ever glanced his way. Hours passed, the sun grew higher in the sky, breaking through patches of rainclouds, and the infantrymen came by less and less frequently. The boy was getting paler, somehow still alive, though nearly driven mad with pain. The sides of his mouth were flecked with bloody foam.

Why could no one see him? Why did they not even glance his way? Sheik felt tears sting his eyes as he shooed a Guay away from the boy. "There are plenty of other things to eat;" he said glumly, "leave him be, awful beast."

Finally, as he knew she must, Impa came to the battlefield. It was as though she knew exactly where to find him. Her expression did not change when she saw her young nephew bleeding out over Hyrule Field. Sheik looked up bitterly at his aunt. It's like she knew this was going happen. Impa looked back at her nephew, the elder incarnation. She forced a smile as she looked into his eyes. "Who would have thought you'd survive?"

Sheik shrugged, "I didn't survive. Not really."

Impa looked at him sharply, "You survived enough to utter those words today; never take a gift from the goddesses for granted."

He bowed his head and said nothing. The weak sunlight glinted from his younger form's wounds, freshly bleeding now that Impa had moved him from the crimson stained grass to an ugly wooden cart.

Sheik took one last look at his past before Impa carted him away, back toward Kakariko Village. That night, the body would not survive, but the spirit…

Sheik woke up well before dawn, a light sheen of sweat covering Zelda's forehead. She frowned at him. _What is it, Sheik?_

" _Nothing. Just another nightmare."_

 _Again? Was it anything to be concerned about?_

She, of course, meant something prophetic. As bearers of the Triforce of Wisdom, both of their dreams were often imbued with extra meaning. Sheik shook his head. _"Just the past."_

* * *

Sheik tried to put his past behind him as he sat at the noisy archery range where he brought Peach to practice with her new bow. After all, they weren't training for war, just for fun and self-defense. Sheik laughed, it was a good thing too, because Peach didn't seem to have much natural talent at archery.

"H-hey, don't laugh," Peach cried, as another arrow slipped from her fingers and clattered to the floor. "We don't even have weapons where I come from."

Sheik raised his eyebrow, "None?"

"The guards have spears. That's it. The manufacture and sale of weapons is mostly prohibited in the Mushroom Kingdom. Manufacturers need to have special permits, and not just anyone can buy weapons either."

Sheik shot an arrow through a waiting target at the other side of the range. "And hunters? Are they out of luck as well?"

She smiled and attempted to shoot an arrow of her own. It landed in the hay. "Vegetarians. Eighty-seven percent of the Mushroom Kingdom has adopted a vegetarian lifestyle. Almost everyone else eats fish. Incidentally, there are no restrictions of the manufacture or sale of environmentally-friendly fishing equipment."

Sheik grinned, "Are you saying you'd rather be fishing right now?"

"Well…" Peach aimed another shot, and then proceeded to shoot the arrow in a weak arc where it landed lamely in the hay. She gave an embarrassed smile.

"I think we may need to adjust your stance, try like this." He demonstrated a proper archer's stance and waited for her to copy. She mimicked his stance change.

"Okay, now hold your bow like this."

She moved her bow up, and was surprised when he caught her elbow and lifted her arms a little higher. He drew an arrow out of her quiver for her, and put it in her hand, enclosing her hand with his. She felt her heartbeat speed up as she felt his cool breath near her ear.

"Now, just place the arrow on the string, like so…" He guided her hands, pushing her into a proper stance with a slight blush on his cheeks. He was aware they were now being watched by some of the other patrons in the gallery. "Pull back hard, and don't let your eyes move from the target," he murmured into her ear. She nodded affirmatively, not daring to take her focus from the target, lest she feel how close Sheik actually was to her. She could swear he could probably feel her heart beating against her chest.

"Now, pretend that big evil turtle monster is coming your way, and that yellow dot is right where his heart is. Focus now and…fire!"

Before Peach could cry out in protest, he made her release the arrow, where it flew straight and true, right into the yellow heart of the target. Sheik smirked, "A direct hit! He's dead before dinner and you can go home safely."

Peach folded her arms across her chest, her cheeks still burning hot from their closeness just a moment ago. Sheik scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed himself.

"Hey, don't be mad," his voice dropped an octave, indicating his seriousness, "I know that's not how you solve things in your kingdom, but that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun and pretend, right?"

Peach gave a confused smile, "You want me to have fun by pretending to kill my enemy?"

Sheik grimaced, "Well…yeah. Kind of. It's…to reduce stress and-and build confidence! How about, hm, pretend there is a monster attacking someone you care about and you need to protect them."

"And diplomacy is out of the question?"

"Absolutely out of the question, these are inhumane monsters we're talking about here."

Peach nodded and pulled an arrow out of her quiver and stood the way Sheik had showed her. When she released the arrow, it flew straight and fast and almost hit the target as it sailed past.

Sheik laughed, "Hey, that was much better, now let me show you how to aim…"

By the end of their session, Peach was hitting the outer rings of the target reliably. She stretched her aching arm above her head and she received her arrows back from the bemused attendant.

She turned to Sheik, radiant with confidence, "There now, you can rest assured that those inhumane monsters who absolutely cannot be reasoned with won't trouble you any further."

Sheik snorted, "Won't trouble _me?_ I'd worry more about yourself if I were you."

"Yes, but you said…"

"Yes, yes, I know what I said," he tried to sound annoyed as he readjusted his cowl to hide his blush. "I'm just used to protecting royalty, not the other way around."

Peach smiled and skipped ahead of him, twirling around playfully. "Well, everyone needs someone to watch their back from time to time, right?"

Sheik almost stopped dead in his tracks, but forced himself to keep moving. She had no idea how right she was. He took a second while her back was turned to sip a bit of red potion that he had tucked into his waistband.

Peach gasped, "What's that? You're not sick again, are you?"

 _Damn._

Peach had twirled again at just the wrong moment to see the Sheikah surreptitiously swallowing a dram of the red potion.

"No…I just don't want to be sore tomorrow," he lied. "I'd offer some to you, but I know what this stuff is made out of and I think it's well outside the bounds of your dietary restrictions. Besides, it tastes awful."

The last part was true, and Peach made a sour face to commiserate. Sheik smiled; Peach was easy to be around, especially because she trusted everything he said at face value. She was so good-natured and likable. He sighed; his love for her was sure to destroy him but…he looked up at the cloudless autumn sky, probably not today.

He turned to Peach, "So, since we're already in Castle Town, how about we take a little extra time for some lunch…"

* * *

Kotake clutched her giant bowl of popcorn and nestled into her sofa as the would-be lovers entered the café. She stuffed a handful of the salty snack into her mouth as she settled into to what was becoming her favorite midday drama series on the Crystal Ball Network. Of course, no such network actually existed and Kotake was really just spying on the lives of ordinary Hylians, but what did a centuries-old witch care about semantics anyhow?

"What do you think you're doing in here?" Koume shrieked and smashed the door open so loudly it caused her twin sister to jump and fling all her popcorn all over the room.

"Ooh, just great, you always come and ruin the best part…" muttered Kotake, bending over to pick up individual pieces of popcorn off the floor (and occasionally eating a few).

"You worthless old hag! Get off your bumpkiss and help me search for the Hero of Time like Lord Ganondorf commanded."

Kotake looked at Koume with weary eyes, "But Koume, we've been searching for weeks and come up with nothing. If His Lordship would only have the patience to wait a few decades the boy will be dead and we wouldn't have to go through all this rigmarole of finding him in the first place."

"Idiot!" Shrieked Koume. "This mission isn't _only_ for the Dark Lord. If you spent more time using that mush between your ears, you would remember that His Lordship does not want the boy dead. He wants him ' _neutralized_ '. And who better to ' _neutralize_ ' such a handsome young man than yours truly?"

"Neutralize? What do you—oooohh," a devious look filled Kotake's eyes. "Well, that'd be second to only myself, I suppose," she cackled, "Oh the things I would like to do to that young flesh…"

"I would chain him to my bed," Koume mused.

"I would dress him up in naughty little outfits," dreamed Kotake.

"I would tickle him and suck on his young little toes until he cried out for mercy."

"I would make him rub medicinal ointment _all_ over my aching joints!" Kotake cried out.

Koume gave a disgusted look. Kotake shrugged, "What? I have a prescription."

"Whatever," Koume sniffed, "obviously, once he had a look at all my charming beauty in its _full glory_ , he'd never be interested in seeing that horrid Zelda or her castle ever again.

"I agree," Kotake replied, "Once he had a good look at you, he'd probably never be interested in seeing anything ever again."

"Let us waste no more time with this idle banter; we must find the Hero Link and hold him in this tower!" Koume said. And for once, Kotake didn't argue.

* * *

"And I want you to be my escort!" _No, that's_ _too blunt._

"I was wondering if maybe you would possibly consider attending with me…as an escort." _Too passive._

"Hey, maybe we should go together, it would be more fun that way, right? You could be my escort or something." _Too obviously casual._

Peach powdered her nose in the mirror and made a face. They sun had just peeked over the hills and it was already an exciting day. Starting today, she was officially employed! With a royal appointment, no less, meaning she could do her work in the castle and get input from Sheik. Peach flushed, she couldn't wait to tell him that Zelda had asked her to be the head of event planning for this year's Festival of Storms.

She would be in charge of everything from booth placement, food being served, and town decorations, to helping Zelda pick out her dress. It was a huge responsibility and she couldn't wait to get started. _He's so knowledgeable about Hylian tradition, I bet he'll be a huge help too!_

The best part was that the festival included a huge dance in the town square. Zelda said men and women put on their finest garments and get totally soaked by the rain, dancing, squealing, and carrying on.

A giant blush filled her cheeks. _I want to go with Sheik; he's been so kind to me and…I just couldn't see myself having more fun with anyone else! It has to be him! Ahh, so nervous; but Sheik is so kind. Oh, but what if he says he's going with someone else?_

Peach glanced at the clock and yelped. She had spent so much time practicing in front of the mirror, now she was going to be late for her class. She hastily gathered up all her books and belongings and rushed off to the study to meet Sheik.

* * *

Sheik stormed into the study and slammed his chair against the wall behind him before taking a seat. He put his face into his balled hands and seethed, trying to allow all his anger to vent before Peach arrived.

It wasn't right; it wasn't fair! It wasn't what Zelda wanted, and it wasn't what he wanted; it was just another sacrifice for the ravenous people of this city, cowards who themselves knew nothing of sacrifice. And now, just as he finally had something to care about, his life as he knew it was about to come crashing down.

Surely, Zelda's new groom would require the Queen's presence at night. Married women did not generally disappear at night. No, instead he would be treated nightly to a front row seat of the worst show on earth: his own "sister's" wedding bed. Without reprieve, without escape.

Peach appeared in the doorway and smiled at Sheik, but instantly sensed something was amiss. She sat down beside him and quietly put her books on the table. She gazed at him with concerned eyes and wasn't surprised when he turned away from her.

"Sheik…what happened?"

He turned around; he could hardly look her in the eyes…those beautiful eyes that he had gotten so used to seeing. He felt his insides swim and he barely croaked, "I…I can't be your tutor anymore."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I love festival scenes almost as much as I love market/bazaar scenes. I feel like I have one in every story I've ever written. If it's not raining while you read this, pull up RainyMood and maybe your favorite iteration of the Song of Storms. Optional, but totally worth the atmosphere. Enjoy!**

* * *

Peach stared at her food in shock and disbelief. She got up from her patio chair and paced around. The little stone state just gazed at her, looking concerned. She sat beside it and started plucking some little daisies out of the grass.

She smoothed her hand over the stone of the statue. "What should I do, little guy?"

"Boing boing," the statue replied.

Peach looked up at the empty study window and sighed. Zelda was going to announce her availability for courtship at this year's Festival of Storms. The announcement would mean many strangers and foreigners would be inside the castle to pay their proper respects with hopes of being the next King of Hyrule. That meant Sheik had to be available during the day to guard the Princess. At least, that's what he told her.

 _That's why he can't tutor me anymore._

Peach sighed, "I asked him if he could…if he would still have time to tutor me at night."

The look in his eyes was unreadable, at once distant and dreamy, but in a way very present. It vanished almost immediately and was replaced by a look of bitter resolve.

"He said it wouldn't be…appropriate for a man and a woman to have nighttime meetings like that. He said it would ruin my reputation. Isn't that horrible? I told him I don't care about my reputation; I care about my friend. I care about Sheik."

"Boing boing," the statue replied.

"And when I said that, he looked so sick, like he was going to throw up. He was silent for so long, and then he whispered that I'd need my reputation if I stayed in Hyrule. He said that I wouldn't want to live alone, that one day I'll want to get married and have a family with a respectable man."

 _When he said it, he sounded so angry_. _I'd never seen him so angry before. He shouted at me, saying I'd have a hard enough time because I am a human and not a Hylian. He scolded me for being too trusting, saying it was only a matter of time before some worthless man would try to take advantage of me._

"And then he tore out of the room, upending pots and slamming doors. I've never seen him this way before. I wish there was something I could do. I didn't even get a chance to ask him to go to the festival with me. I'm disappointed too, but I can't help but feel like there's something I don't understand. It couldn't be that he's just overreacting, could it?"

"Boing boing," replied the statue.

* * *

Dark clouds gathered in anticipation on the night of the festival. As the light of day began to wane, peasants closed down their shops, put down their tools, and headed home to dress in their finery.

The festival of storms signified the official end of the harvest season and the beginning of the cold, harsh Hyrulian winter. It was a time to thank the Goddesses for their generosity, and pray for their continued care and protection against the elements.

Less piously, citizens were also in a hurry to dress their daughters in the finest silks they could afford as many foreign lords and nobles would be in town this night hoping to win the affection of Princess Zelda. Of course, the princess could only entertain the courtship of so many suitors, thus by simple math there were bound to be a number of _disappointed_ eligible lords and nobles who might look kindly on other feminine attentions to soothe their wounded prides. It was the way many fathers dreamed of winning a title and a fortune.

Out in the central plaza of Castle Town, merchants set up covered booths in festive red and white stripes, with a colorful assortment of food and drink, trinkets and toys. Royal engineers hustled to do additional safety checks of the electric string lighting draped across the plaza as citizens arrived early to watch the arrival of the magnificent carriages of the foreign suitors.

One by one, gilded carriages from all the nearby lands and provinces began to file in. Castle Town gates opened to reveal sturdy teams of chestnut horses drawing vehicles in teals, lavenders, forest greens, and purest whites.

Peach oversaw the scene, running back and forth with a clipboard, to ensure everything was going to plan. In truth, there wasn't much left for her to do. Everyone had a job to execute and all executions were going according to plan. Still, she felt it was better to be busy because every time she stopped moving, she found her eyes wandering around looking for _him._

Peach set down her clipboard and adjusted her dress. It was constructed of a few layers of very thin midnight-colored silk. Instead of sleeves, a few panels on the sides of her dress attached to her arms in a light drape, and at the bottom of the dress were little silver bells, said to ward away Poes and other evil spirits.

She narrowed her eyes, peering deeply into the darkness of the shadows surrounding the wooden stage that would eventually hold Princess Zelda. She knew he would be there guarding the princess; she knew better than to think she'd be able to see him but she hoped that he might see her in her pretty new dress. _And if he sees me…I want him to see that I'm looking for him._

The night air was chilly in spite of the cloud cover; the citizens were clamoring to begin the festivities, calling out to friends, neighbors, and rivals in jovial tones. Peach moved among them, jingling with each step.

Suddenly, the crowd erupted into a deafening roar of cheers. Princess Zelda had appeared, her dangling Triforce earrings swaying and jingling with each tiny movement she made. Her ceremonial gown was thick, heavy, and voluminous; it was specially designed so the curvature of her royal body would not be improperly exposed when the downpour began. The glimmering fabric shone like a silver coin in the moonlight. She held up a hand to silence the crowd, her face carefully painted into an expression of authority and goodwill.

She opened her mouth and she spoke of the future. She spoke of the goodness of the Goddesses, the gift of the season of storms. She spoke of the future of technology, of electric lights and harnessing the power of wind and water, the power of the storms, to create a better society for all Hyrulians. The crowd gave obligatory applause and cheers; the kind that breaks out suddenly and then is quickly truncated by a silence expectant of something more.

Zelda swallowed, trying to catch her breath. She parted her lips, but no sound would come out. The crowd leaned in closer. She wished she could tell them that she would be the unmarried ruling queen for the rest of her miserable life and if they didn't like it they could go pound Gerudo sand. Instead, like a sweet song, she heard her own voice speak of the necessity of a new King of Hyrule, about the importance of a strong royal lineage for the good of Hyrule.

Immediately, the populace broke into a frenzy of applause. Like a hungry pack of wolves being thrown a bound lamb, such was their appetite for a royal wedding that the crowd could scarcely be silenced for a full minute. It was not until the first string of the Goddess Harp had sounded that the crowd had come to its senses. Zelda's dexterous fingers moved over the strings, beckoning forth the clouds and winds with the Song of Storms.

Peach was transfixed by the ornate golden instrument; hadn't Sheik often used something similar? She gasped; had he stolen a royal artifact just like he had stolen those horses the first morning they went into town together? She couldn't imagine Zelda tolerating such acts from a guard…unless…

A large drop of rain falling squarely on her cheek broke her thoughts. The electric lights surged and dimmed as they swung in the wind and rain. The sound of thunder rolled from nearby.

"The storm is coming!" a little boy shouted to his friends, who whooped, cheered, and took off running from one end of the plaza to the other.

Peach could feel the excitement welling in her was well as the rain intensified and the sound of the thunder got closer. The crowd began to cheer and holler with excitement as the drizzle intensified to a full rain, and then a complete downpour.

As Zelda finished, the orchestra in the center of the plaza took up the Song of Storms. The rolling din of water droplets falling from the sky echoed off the alleyways and came crashing into the grand plaza. Rain soaked every strand of hair and every thread of every garment in the plaza.

Citizens craned to watch the Hylian princess step off her wooden platform, eager to see with whom she would share the first dance of the evening. Even Peach found herself pushing and peering though the crowd in curiosity.

Zelda gazed over all the shirts and hats before her. Minor dukes, major earls, the sons of a wealthy businessman; any choice she made would surely be scrutinized, analyzed, and tortured for information until it was unrecognizable, at which point an ordinary fact dies and becomes reborn as a "symbol".

Her eyes settled on a group of young men around her age from the burgeoning Ordon province. In a lavender tunic stood a tall, effeminate man with an immodest amount of body hair, Senza the second. Next to him, a burly salt-of-the earth rancher's son, and notable swordsman, Alfonzo, son of Gonzo. Nearby, wearing a matronly pout, was Budge, son of Nudge. Standing nearly a foot shorter than the other Ordonian representatives were the Ko family cousins, Zuko, Niko, and Mako, who all bore an unfortunate resemblance to certain cheese-loving plague animals.

Peach nearly fell over squealing as she watched Zelda approach Alfonzo for the first dance of the festival. She curtseyed before him and he bowed stiffly.

 _I never would have guessed she'd be into the big, burly type!_

Alfonzo himself just looked astonished, his cheeks flushed pink as he fumbled nervously with all eyes upon him. It was difficult to tell whether the sheen on his forehead was rain or sweat.

Thunder crashed once again as Zelda and Alfonzo began their dance, her resplendent gown keeping him at a distance as they danced a stiff, dispassionate waltz.

After the first dance, other couples were invited to dance, and several pairs of the more affluent, powerful citizens floated into the square. Peach clapped her hands together, sensing it was finally appropriate for her to participate as well; if there was any chance Hyrule were to be her new home, she would like to get to know the citizenry first-hand and there was no better place to do so than at a festival. Still, Sheik's words about scheming men bothered her, so she looked around the square with a cautious curiosity.

Almost immediately, she found herself swept into the dance by a dashing gentleman in a red formal jacket. Peach gasped, the nobleman from the market!

"It's a pleasure to see you again, my lady!" he shouted over the noise of the rain and the orchestra.

"Likewise," she yelled in reply.

"Imagine my surprise when I learned the enchanting _ingénue_ I met at the marketplace was secretly a royal guest, and the very organizer of this festival," he said, keeping his mouth close to her ear, "You must have a most fascinating story."

Peach blushed and laughed nervously. The nobleman in red let her out for a spin, her hand briefly breaking away for a moment before it was clasped by another. As smooth as a magician's trick, she found herself chest to chest with a tall, slim gentleman with long blonde hair and icy blue eyes.

"Good evening, so pleased to make your acquaintance…"

And so the evening continued, in this competitive fashion. Peach could scarcely see a handsome man's face and learn his name before another came, quite literally, waltzing by to sweep her off her feet. If the long, bloody Seven Years War had caused a shortage of males in Hyrule, nobody had told these men.

Of course, everyone wanted to get a good look at the mystery woman who was staying at the royal palace. Rumors had spread to the furthest reaches of the kingdom once she was given an official royal appointment.

Tales spoke of a great beauty with limitless wealth from a land found on no map, as the first guest in the palace since the war ended. Some said she was a human sorceress in the days of the war, and that she fraternized with the shadow people. Others claimed that she was an illiterate born in the Gerudo sands who was scooped up as a lesbian dalliance to fulfill the queen's desires while leaving her technically chaste for marriage. All agreed that the intrigue was intoxicating and none could deny the potential benefits of acquainting oneself with the future queen's pretty little pet.

Time passed, and Peach turned her head to see who Zelda was dancing with now, but was unable to see anything over the crowd of heads in her way.

Peach winced as a sharp pain spread across her foot. A little boy more focused on whirling his young dance partner at full speed than paying attention to where he was going had inadvertently stepped on her fragile silk slipper, crushing her foot under his.

"Sorry!" shouted the boy, continuing to whirl around while the girl he held hands with screamed and shrieked.

"My lady, are you quite alright?" asked her latest dance partner, a young silver-haired man in glasses and a green waistcoat.

"Y-yes. I think so…"

"Perhaps if you'd rather retire elsewhere for a time, I shall accompany you? Here, take my hand."

"That won't be necessary," a stern voice interrupted. Peach and the nobleman turned to see the silhouette of a Sheikah, arms crossed over his chest and rain streaming from his hair.

"If I may," Sheik reached out to Peach, clearly indicating he was not asking the silver-haired gentleman's permission to cut in. Peach took his hand, ignoring the subsiding pain in her foot.

Sheik instinctively pulled her close, glaring protectively over her shoulder as he began their waltz. "What are you still doing out here?" he hissed. "Princess Zelda went back to the castle nearly half an hour ago. Why did you not go with her?"

Peach looked up innocently, "What? Nobody told me!"

Then she frowned; the last time she had seen him, weeks ago, he was shouting at her and throwing things. How dare he show up after ignoring her all this time? "What are you doing here, anyhow? What do you want?"

She felt his body stiffen at her words, "I came because I wanted to see you."

"Sheik…"

"Can we talk about this somewhere else, please? " The men in the crowd had begun to murmur and glare at the Sheikah who was dancing with the target of their desires. He glared right back.

Peach nodded her head, leading their way out of the crowd and into the arcade. She stopped abruptly and spun around, arms folded across her chest.

Firecrackers exploded in the corner of the market, and most children ran amok holding waterproof sparklers and shooting roman candles at one another, while the children who had the unfortunate combination of attentive parents and no money of their own were stuck with paper poppers and pinwheels

"Peach, please accept my apology. I had no right to say the things I did to you; to act the way I did was shameful. I could not bear to face you after such a disgrace. But even that was selfish; I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

"Sheik…" Peach smiled a little grimace and felt her eyes water; then pulled Sheik into a big hug, burrowing her face into the slightly taller Sheikah's cowl.

"A-ah!" He cried, nervously eyeing the revelers. This was so dangerous, there were so many eyes here, and now almost everyone knew what Peach looked like since she'd become active in the festival planning. It was too open, too exposed.

He placed a hand on the small of her back, scooting toward a series of stalls where they could blend in with the crowd, but Peach had other ideas.

She grabbed his hand with a mischievous smile and pulled him toward the teeming arcade area, "C'mon, let's go play some games, Sheik!"

"H-hey!" he stumbled as she unexpectedly took off marching, pulling him in tow. She stopped in front of a waist-high platform, holding a shallow wading pool with a rainbow of koi racing inside. Each koi had a shiny gold tag tied to its tail, sparkling and fluttering behind it. A man in a blue apron threw some brown pellets on the surface of the water and the fish dove into a frenzy, rolling on top of and around one another, attacking the surface of the water with wide open jaws.

"Catch a fish, win a prize!" called the proprietor, holding out a net with metallic streamers on the end. "Only 10 rupees to play!"

Peach beamed, "I'm going to play this one!"

Sheik watched Peach flail her glittering net at the fish, which swam away in all different directions. She shrieked and laughed when they splashed her already wet face with their glistening tails.

He felt the muscles in his neck and back relax and he unfolded his arms. This was what it was like to enjoy the festival like a normal person, he supposed. If he had a normal life, it wouldn't bother him so much that when she smiled at him, his stomach felt the same as that fish, flopping around in her net. It wouldn't worry him when she grabbed his hand and tugged him to the next stall. He closed his eyes; this was his last chance to try to have a normal life, however brief.

"—eik?…Are you okay, Sheik?"

He cracked open his eyes to find a concerned pair of sapphire ones gazing up at him.

"…I'm fine."

Her mouth turned into a pout. "Are you sure? You don't seem fine."

He crossed his arms. "It's all the people," he half-lied, "I'm not used to it."

Peach smiled up at him, "I know what you mean. In my kingdom, all my subjects are Mushrooms so… crowds usually only go up to my waist." She laughed, and cautiously slid her hand into his, lacing her fingers between his and squeezing tight. "…It's a little unusual for both of us but let's try to make the best of it, ok?"

Sheik blushed a deep crimson, but nodded silently.

"Okay, now it's your turn to play a game! How about that one over there? You try to throw the ball to break the pots! I bet you'd be amazing at that."

Sheik shook his head, "Hmm, I probably shouldn't," he said to himself, "these games were designed for civilians. It would attract too much attention if a trained Sheikah were to participate"

"Hmph, that's some pretty big talk, Mr. Super Soldier," she put her hands on her hips, "you march right over there and put your rupees where your mouth is!"

"Wh-what?"

"You heard me, Cadet," she mock saluted, "Your mission is to get your highly trained self over there and win me a prize. That's an order!" she laughed.

"Cadet?! An order!? You're really got some nerve…Hey!" Sheik felt a pair of icy hands on the small of his back, pushing him toward the booth.

"Excuse me, sir! This man would like to play!" Sheik shot a glare at Peach.

The man glared equally hard at Sheik. "It'll be 15 rupees…and Sheikahs need to stand an extra fifteen paces back. It's the rules," he spat.

Peach opened her mouth to cry out, "That's not fair!"

"I said it's the rules."

Peach looked at Sheik who merely shrugged. He couldn't say he was surprised, but 15 paces was no matter to him. He took the hard stone ball in his hand and could feel the eyes on him. He closed his own eyes and narrowed his focus to a pinpoint beam.

Peach shielded her eyes from the shattering pot. The speed at which the ball had hit the vessel was astounding, sending shrapnel flying out of the stall and into the alleyway. More passersby stopped to watch Sheik throw the next ball.

"Hey, watch it will ya? New rule, Sheikahs take 25 paces back."

Sheik smirked, and stepped the additional ten steps back. The crowd followed him, leaving a clear space between him and the pots. He grasped the second, slightly misshapen, ball in his hand.

The crowd winced as another blindingly fast ball obliterated the cheap pot on the other end of the stall.

"Filthy, rotten Sheikahs," cursed the man, "What're ya tryin' ta do? 50 paces, 50 paces back!"

Sheik grabbed the last ball with a flourish and began his long trek to the other side of the arcade. How flattering the shopkeeper thought so much of his skill. He was now aware of a sizable crowd gathering to watch, holding other festival-goers back to maintain a clear line between him and the stall. He had tried to tell Peach this was a bad idea but…

"What's wrong, Sheikah? Too far for ya?!" the man laughed, holding his wretched gut behind his apron. Sheik smirked. _Hardly._

He glimpsed Peach's hopeful face in the crowd, brightened by a look of awe. He bit his lip.

"Throw the ball already, you filthy Sheikah! I'm warnin' you…"

Sheik frowned at the fat, hairy man behind the stall counter. _He…is warning me?_ He glimpsed the stall, taking in the structural constitution. All it would take was one speedy, well-aimed…

"What are you waiting for, Sheikah?! Throw the ball or get outta my sight!"

Sheik glared. Yet another Hylian bigot, ignorant of his own history. Even though Sheik was no longer a teacher, it was awfully tempting to teach this man a lesson…

"Sheikah, there are customers waiting! If you don't throw that ball in another five seconds…I swear to the goddesses I will…"

The booth-keeper never had time to finish his sentence. Sheik threw the ball at lightning fast speed, directly at the left structural pole, where it blasted though the wood and caused the tent to sag, then drop the entire canvas cloth on top of the booth. Sheik laughed as he heard every pot slide off its shelf and break. However, the guards presiding over the area also heard the commotion and began running to investigate.

Sheik rushed to Peach's side and slid his hand in hers, feeling the rush once more. "I think this is the part where we run."

He bent to grab a pair of bunny ears off the ground, one of the prizes that used to hang on the pottery stall. "I'd say we earned at least this, right? Now run!"

Sheik took off running, pulling Peach along, grasping her hand in his. Peach panted to keep up, as Sheik tore through the alleyways and pavilions with guards in hot pursuit.

 _Damn, she's really slowing me down, but I can't just leave her…_

Suddenly, he grabbed her by the waist and sprang up a wall, as easily as if he were a cat, dropping over the edge and into a garden. Her bells jingled slightly as he set her down, wide-eyed and breathless, raindrops dotting her cheeks and eyelashes.

"They're over here!"

"Damn! Princess, forgive me." He scooped her up bridal-style and, pressing her into his chest with one arm, swung himself around the other wall of the garden with the other. He huffed as they landed on the other side. If he had the proper body of a man, it wouldn't have been a problem but…

"We can't go on like this…we're going to have to lose them somehow…" he panted.

"I know!" Peach cried, "Let's go back to the dancing square. There are so many people, even if we were spotted, there's no way the guards could get through."

Sheik nodded in affirmation and the pair ran, splashing though puddles, until the teeming crowd in the square swallowed them. As soon as it was safe, Sheik let out a hearty laugh, trying not to look too winded.

Peach frowned and punched him in the arm softly, "What are you laughing about? You almost got us thrown into jail!"

"Yes…but…" he caught his breath. "We didn't."

"You…you're the worst!" she cried.

Sheik laughed again, slipping the bunny ears onto her head. "No, I am the best at being a soldier. I never disobey a direct order!"

"Ha! In that case, I order you to be my esco—"

"Excuse me, Mademoiselle!" A man in a rich plum velvet blazer grasped Peach's hand, bowing at the waist to lower his ridiculous blond mustache onto it. "May I have the honor o-oh…oh my…excuse me…"

The man caught the icy cold glare of the Sheikah behind her; if looks could kill the man in plum would have had a thousand pin needles in his back and a few in front for good measure. Tripping over his coattails, the man was gone without another further word. Sheik caught Peach's hands and pulled her into a waltz before she had time to turn around.

"Hmph, just as I suspected. The men here are completely disgusting and entirely without manners." He pulled Peach into a spin and twirled effortlessly, never taking his eyes off hers except to glower at any would-be interlopers.

He felt the warmth and softness of her body against his, barely contained under her thin, wet silks and suddenly realized just how close they were. He could feel her cheek on his shoulder, her breath on his neck, a strange tingle running through him, lingering in places where they oughtn't.

"What kind of escort would I be if I allowed you to stay in this den of wolves?" He whispered in her ear with a smile, "Come with me, I have something to show you."


	13. Chapter 13

Peach took a few steps to the edge of the bell tower, clutching a dry cloth around her like a cape. Peering out over the wall she could see the red glow of firelight coming from windows, a column of smoke from nearly every chimney. The rain-slicked streets were glistening with torchlight as guards exchanged posts below.

"Hmm…might be a bit difficult getting back into the castle now that we're criminals," Sheik joked, "You don't mind staying here for a bit, right?"

"Not at all…it's beautiful," she said, a faraway look in her eyes.

Sitting on the edge of the wall, one foot dangling outside, Sheik stretched his arms overhead before turning to face the Princess.

"Are you hungry Sheik? I bought some dumplings before the festival started but I didn't have any time to eat so they should still be in here…" Peach began to rummage though her bag, tossing out fireworks, papers, and other trinkets.

Of course Zelda had forgotten to eat, _again_ , so he was quite hungry; but there was also something strange about Peach's demeanor that worried him.

"Hey, where did you get that?" he asked, pointing to one of Peach's trinkets on the ground.

"This?" she asked, holding up the snapped coin from the old beggar in Castle Town, "It was given to me as payment for a kindness, I suppose. Why?"

Sheik jumped down off the wall to inspect the coin, "Ha! Do you know what this is? This is a Kinstone, a children's toy from ancient times. They used to be everywhere and children would collect and trade them with their friends. The goal was to match up two pieces of a Kinstone. If you could do that, the pieces would merge and the children believed a miracle would happen."

Sheik patted his pockets, looking for something on his person. "I'm surprised you have one, since they're quite rare now, but look, I have one as well."

He produced a similarly grubby Kinstone from his pocket; "I found it down in the Kakariko well when I was a kid. I kept it as a good luck charm but…"

Sheik grimaced, he couldn't say it had brought _him_ good luck, and if it was down in that well, chances are the corpse it used to belong to had some pretty miserable luck as well.

"Well, I guess we should see if they fit together, right?" asked Peach.

"Yeah," he said, sitting down next to her on the floor of the bell tower, "Let's give it a shot."

Peach and Sheik both grasped their Kinstones and slowly brought them together, looking each other in the eyes. A sharp metallic clicking noise brought their attention to the stone, which began to glow faintly under the grime of the ages. It hovered from their hands, spinning and glowing until – Poof! It vanished, just like that.

"They fit!" cheered Sheik.

"Oh no, your lucky charm…" Peach lamented, "I didn't know it would vanish like that if they fit together."

"Me either," Sheik scratched the back of his head, "Ah well, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I think I was due for a new lucky charm anyhow."

Only the sound of the rain falling onto the streets below broke the long silence that fell over them, until Peach cleared her throat.

Peach glanced to the floor, "Hey Sheik? I've been thinking and…I'd kind of like to ask you some questions,"

Sheik swallowed hard; that sounded dire.

"I haven't found any portals yet, but I'm still looking."

"…It's not that."

Sheik laughed in spite of his dread, "Well, what is it then? Don't keep me in suspense."

She turned to him, forcing her eyes into his, "Sheik…where did you get the harp you play? It looked exactly like the one Zelda used tonight in the ceremony."

"This harp?" he pulled the mystical instrument from behind his back, "Hmm, now that you mention it, it does look like it's the same harp."

Peach smacked the ground with her palm, "Please don't joke! This is important to me. Did you steal the harp from the palace to teleport us to the lake?"

Sheik shook his head solemnly, "No. I am permitted use of the Goddess Harp for the protection of the princess. I admit my usage on that day was perhaps, uh, tangential to the _intended_ purpose of entrusting me with such an artifact, but I swear on my life I did not steal it."

"Hmm…" Peach frowned, somehow still dissatisfied. There was something amiss, something afoot, a certain nagging suspicion. "Sheik…how long have you known Princess Zelda?"

"I've been training to serve the Royal Family since I was a young boy, so naturally, I've known Zelda since she was born. I became a member of her personal guard along with General Impa when I was fourteen; but I won't tell you how many years ago that was."

 _He called her just 'Zelda' this time and not 'Princess Zelda'._

"And what is she like? Is she kind to you? Do you speak often, or do you only watch her from the shadows?"

Sheik rubbed the back of his head again, "As my sovereign and my charge, she has treated me with every kindness. She is wise and virtuous, though she occasionally lets little things get the best of her." He grimaced, "She's everything you'd expect a great leader to be. She's- She's going to make a wonderful queen."

"Sheik…" Peach bit her lip; it could be what she feared.

The Sheikah had since turned away from her with his arms crossed, staring bitterly at the ground.

"Sheik," she repeated, her voice barely carrying over the sound of the storm, "Do you love her?"

Sheik stoically turned around to face her directly and closed his eyes, "Yes, of course I do."

Peach felt the inside of her stomach drop and all the warmth leave her body. Yes, it was exactly as she feared. A hard lump settled in her throat.

It hurt so much to consider all those times she was so excited to see him, to speak to him, to hold his hand…he was secretly in love with another. She remembered the time when he grasped her hand to teach her to write, his serenade at the lake, their archery lesson, even tonight's dance. She felt a tear fall down her face. Was it all just wishful thinking? What a fool she had been. She felt tears well up, threatening to spill onto her cheeks.

Sheik opened his eyes, smirking a bit, "I love her as I'd love my sister. I've defended her and watched her grow from a child to a ruler. I'd give my life for her without a second thought; can you not call that love?"

 _As his…sister?!_

"Sheik!" she wailed, "I - I asked you not to joke around!"

Sheik threw his hands up, "I wasn't joking! You asked me if I loved her, and I do, with all my heart!"

Peach angrily wiped the tears from her face, "You knew what I meant! You mislead me on purpose! I can't believe you let me get all worked up! How could you be so cruel?" Her cheeks flushed in hot embarrassment, and she buried her face in the damp midnight silk of her dress.

Sheik felt a pang of guilt mixed in with his rush of absolute exhilaration. He hadn't meant to torture her, but her face and eyes had shouted everything his soul longed to hear. Silently, he put his arm around her and pulled her close. She wanted to jerk away, but somehow couldn't help but sink into his embrace.

"I'm sorry, please don't cry. I just…I had to know," he whispered, "I know you probably don't want to hear it right now, but the way you looked…the way you cared. I'm just really, really happy."

Peach curled herself up, burrowing her face into his cowl and letting her tears run out onto his shoulder. "You're awful," she moaned.

"I know, I'm sorry. I was a coward; it was wro—"

Peach, nestled under his cowl, pressed her lips to his warm, soft cheek, "You're awful."

"Yeah…" he whispered, "I know."

* * *

 _When it rains, it pours._

One week after the Festival of Storms, rain still dotted against the stained-glass windows of Hyrule Castle, dripping down to the soaking mud surrounding the castle.

Frankly, it was a miracle any visitors managed to arrive with the streets and highways covered in mud, and yet arrive they did, more visitors than expected.

Peach adjusted her silken robe, a traditional garment of the storm season, nuzzling into the bright pink fur collar. "Count Nilama, would you care for some more tea?" Peach asked, "The masala chai you brought is simply delightful."

She smiled at the visiting count, Zelda's suitor from the local Lanayru province. Goddesses knew travel was a cumbersome affair during the rainy season, but the gentleman count insisted he must call upon Zelda to sit under the traditional heated tables and share this rare spiced tea from Gerudo Valley. To his credit, the tea was quite delicious.

"Ah, I am quite satisfied, Milady, but it seems my brother has drained his cup. In truth, the tea was his selection; as the future head of the Nilama Trading Company, he has become quite the connoisseur."

Peach smiled as she turned toward the man sitting to her left at the small square table and dipped the pot to refill his cup. Unexpectedly, the count had decided to bring his younger brother, who requested an audience with Peach.

The younger Nilama chuckled, "You flatter me, brother; but we both know I would have never developed any business acumen without your support and guidance. When our father was away on long business trips, my brother would often read to me, but not out of storybooks. He would read aloud my father's invoices, scraps, and business proposals over and over until we both knew them by heart."

Peach giggled, "Oh my, that sounds dreadfully dull for a child."

"And yet I came to love it. If you can believe, I even had my favorites!"

"Yes, he used to beg me to read the one about the rising demand of Gerudo silks."

Peach beamed, "Gerudo silks, Gerudo tea; you must really love the desert, don't you?"

All three others at the table looked up in shock and the charm faded off the face of the younger Nilama for a spilt second before he recovered his natural, easy grace.

"The Nilama family deals only in legitimate business trade with the heathens of the desert. I certainly hope milady does not mean to suggest I am one of those degenerate Hylian men engaged in…inappropriate congress with those Gerudo thieves."

Peach looked up, blinking with wide eyes.

Zelda sipped her tea and forced a smile, "Take no offense, milord; my guest possesses a maiden's purity of mind. As you can see, she knows not of congress, inappropriate or otherwise. I suspect she meant to say you enjoy the material, rather than the carnal, goods of the desert."

"Ho, look upon the rosen blush on milady's face and see our queen speaks truth," exclaimed the elder Nilama.

Peach did look genuinely mortified, a bright pink filling her cheeks as she hid behind her teacup. How had she accidentally insulted her suitor? It would have been nice to get a few more lessons from Sheik about Hyrulian manners.

 _Sheik…_ The blush on her face intensified.

"Ah, is that so?" said the younger, a glimmer of excitement in his eye, "A maiden's purity of mind. Fascinating, absolutely fascinating."

* * *

 _Damn it Zelda, why are you fighting so hard to make them love her?_

Sheik had seen it all, jealously watching through Zelda's eyes. He saw the blond brothers from Lanayru lavishing their attentions on the princesses. He saw their gifts of tea and fine linens. He saw Zelda's demure deflection of any compliments by either brother.

She blamed every grace, beauty, and virtue on Peach, which of course she deserved, but…

"Damn you, it was only to take the attention off yourself, wasn't it?" he asked nobody in particular. It was late into the night and Zelda was sleeping comfortably in his mind.

 _The elder Nilama must have lacked confidence; so he brought his younger brother. Without knowing his competition, or Zelda's preferences, he likely wanted to open up other possibilities. But why Peach? The nobles must think she has some clout at the palace._

He frowned, wiping rain off his face and breaking into a free run. If that was the case, it was certainly bad news for him. Now that the precedent had been set, every Tom, Dick, and Harry visiting the palace would likely also bring unnecessary visitors to harass his beloved princess.

Sheik sighed and touched his cheek where she once had pressed her lips last week. He hadn't managed to speak with her since, thanks to this whole suitor business.

After the winter, he knew his life would be functionally over regardless. "Maybe it's better this way…she'll meet a nobleman, they'll do what nobles do, and that'll be that."

At high speed, he leapt though the trees as usual, landing quickly before springing and swinging to the next tree. The moderate rainfall obstructed his vision, but he couldn't bring himself to slow down. That was, until he misjudged a jump, fingertips slipping off the slick, moss-covered branch and landed hard on his rear.

The pain crawling up his posterior and into his back jolted him awake from his musings. It had been so long since he had fallen down, he'd honestly forgotten what it felt like. He sat in the mud for a while, in pain and shock, before he began to chuckle at himself.

 _Good thing nobody was around to see th—huh?_

To his right came an eerie blue light casting shadows among the leaves and trunks of the forest. Cautiously, he picked himself up, sidling up to a tree trunk and cautiously gazing around it.

There, in a clearing, he saw a weird glowing circle of blue, like something a lion or tiger might jump though, with a bright blue landscape superimposed inside.

"What in the…" he whispered to himself. He scanned the area. There didn't seem to be any immediate danger in the vicinity, so he slipped out from behind the tree to get a better look.

The landscape inside the hoop was more perfect than any portrait Sheik had ever seen. It featured lush green grasses, with trees and shrubs. In the background, there were a few small bipedal creatures that appeared to be wearing strange round caps. Behind them was an image of a castle with a red roof and a giant stained glass image of…

 _No! This can't be…_

Sheik's eyes widened in excitement. This was it; this was Peach's portal! Those creatures weren't animals, they were her subjects, the Toads she had described in her essay.

He laughed triumphantly, imagining how her face would light up when she heard the news. There would be no need for her to worry about visiting any more suitors, or picking a nobleman to marry, or…He stopped himself mid-thought. If he told her about her portal…

 _She'll go home. She'll be gone for good, and I'll never see her again._

He sat back down in the mud, allowing himself to wrap his head around the concept. If she went home, it really would be over for him. No more time spent laughing together, or serious talks over scones; no more stolen glances or heartwarming smiles. He'd be all alone, again.

He felt a bitter tear roll down his face and merge with the rain droplets on his chin. He reached down to cast a warding spell so the gate might remain hidden until she would walk out of his life forever.


End file.
